Foundation Plant Services (FPS) has been extensively testing the Classic Foundation Vineyard since 2017 when grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) was first discovered in both the Russell Ranch and Classic vineyards. GRBV infection rates have remained extremely low in the Classic Foundation Vineyard, ranging from 0% to 0.02%. None of the 4660 vines were infected in 2022 (see table below). This material will be available for distribution and will be tested for GRBV as dormant canes prior to shipping.
We will continue to individually test all vines in the Classic vineyard on an annual basis. In addition, FPS has received funding from a variety of sources for a 11,700-square-foot greenhouse that will house approximately 2,000 vines. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023 and be finished by the end of the year. To increase capacity to the current 4,000 vines, FPS plans to build another greenhouse in the next two to three years. In the meantime, we are renting three 1,100 sq ft greenhouses from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to temporarily house the most valuable clonal selections as newly propagated virus-tested mother vines. FPS continues its commitment to clean plant health by maintaining the highest testing standard for our foundation material and keeping the grape industry updated as new information becomes available.
