All vines are trained to a vertical shoot positioned (VSP) canopy.  Most are pruned to a cordon except for the viognier which is cane pruned.  Rows are spaced eight feet apart.  Inter vine spacing varies from 5 to 8 feet depending on the rootstock and the soil fertility.  During pruning the number of buds is adjusted to furnish a balance between the vine leaf area and the crop load.  Cabernet and merlot yields are typically slightly below 5 tons per acre (tpa) with sauvignon and riesling a bit higher, about 6 tpa. 

Weed removal in the vine rows is obtained with in-row cultivators. Powdery mildew is controlled shortly after bud break with a sulfur and copper spray.  Sulfur dust is used as a later mildew preventative but never later than 60 days before harvest.  In recent years the Gubler model has shown that only one dusting is necessary. Data for the model is taken from weather stations located in two of the vineyards. 

It is sometimes necessary to treat leaf hoppers and mites.  We have found that two releases of green lacewings keep the leaf hoppers at a low level.  The population of mites sometimes becomes worrisome; we obtain good control with a release of predatory mites.

Leaf removal is carried out on the shady, e.g. north or east, sides of the canopy after fruit set.  Irrigation is with a drip system.  We start irrigation when the stem water potential decreases to about -13 Bar in the red varieties and -12 Bar in the white varieties.  We use visual observation of the cane tips and neutron probe readings to aid in deciding the frequency of irrigation.