May 2024 - 18

GROWER PROFILE
Great Bear Vineyards grows four varieties of white grapes and eight varieties of red grapes,
some of which are blended for different varietals.
incorporating historic buildings into
the business, including the barn and
original homestead, built around 1860.
Jenny Meadows-Smith, a chemist,
attended the University of CaliforniaDavis'
renowned viticulture and
enology program. The couple planted
10 acres of grapevines, about 600
olive trees, lavender and assorted
fruit trees around the property. They
process and sell olive and lavender
oils and donate fruit to local charities.
Great Bear Vineyards offered its
first wines for sale in 2018, and
quickly became noticed, earning
silver, gold and double-gold medals
at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine
Competition. Great Bear Vineyards
was voted Best Local Winery by
Sacramento Magazine readers in 2020
and 2021. Its Chardonnay, Roussanne
varietals and Grand Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon have received high ranks
from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
The winery attracts visitors from
UC-Davis, including international
visitors, who are interested in Great
Bear's sustainable and organic
growing practices.
Weeds, wildlife,
water and more
Davis has hot, dry summers, so
pest pressures are low, MeadowsSmith
said.
Permanent cover crops include
a mix of ryegrass, wildflowers and
clover. Under the grapevines, weed
control is critical because a grape's
flavor can be affected by plants
touching the fruit. As an organic
grower, Meadows-Smith said weed
control is the most difficult challenge.
" In the first year, you have to
protect the very young vines, because
if they get an insect attack, then you
can lose the flowers, " he said. " Now
that they're mature, a small amount
of insect pressure on the leaves does
not affect the quality of the grapes
at all. And then we tend to do like a
lime sulfur (application) when the
vines are dormant and then through
the growing season, it's mostly just a
natural oil that is sprayed. "
To be effective at limiting pest
damage, the treatment has to be
repeated during the growing season.
" Is it better for the environment?
I don't know, because we have
to go through the vineyard more
frequently, " Meadows-Smith said.
" So you're using more fossil fuels by
taking the sprayer through on a more
regular basis. "
18 | MAY 2024

http://waflernursery.com

May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2024

Editor's Letter
Biologicals: Advancing research in biocontrols
Cover Story: To price or not to price
2024 Farm Market Report
Grower Profile: Great Bear Vineyards' organic journey
Organic Grower Spring 2024
Business: Improving the odds
Farm Market & Agritourism: What's the difference between markup and margin?
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
May 2024 - 1
May 2024 - 2
May 2024 - 3
May 2024 - Editor's Letter
May 2024 - 5
May 2024 - Biologicals: Advancing research in biocontrols
May 2024 - 7
May 2024 - Cover Story: To price or not to price
May 2024 - 9
May 2024 - 10
May 2024 - 11
May 2024 - 12
May 2024 - 13
May 2024 - 2024 Farm Market Report
May 2024 - 15
May 2024 - Grower Profile: Great Bear Vineyards' organic journey
May 2024 - 17
May 2024 - 18
May 2024 - 19
May 2024 - 20
May 2024 - 21
May 2024 - 22
May 2024 - Organic Grower Spring 2024
May 2024 - 24
May 2024 - 25
May 2024 - 26
May 2024 - 27
May 2024 - Business: Improving the odds
May 2024 - 29
May 2024 - 30
May 2024 - 31
May 2024 - Farm Market & Agritourism: What's the difference between markup and margin?
May 2024 - 33
May 2024 - Classifieds
May 2024 - Advertiser Index
May 2024 - 36
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