Farm advisor Lindsay Jordan creating options for vineyard sustainability

UC Cooperative Extension advisor Lindsay Jordan is growing 56 varieties of grapes at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center to see how varietals from other parts of the world flourish or fail, reported Sydney Maki in the Fresno Bee.

The front-page story provided an overview of Jordan's career, research plans and personality.

“My love of wine drives a lot – what can I say,” Jordan said. “I don't know about you, but I want to keep drinking wine until the day I die, so I really want to do my part to ensure the sustainability of drinking California wine.”

As part of the project, Jordan is looking for grapevines that thrive in the valley heat, produce a large crop and develop berries with color, flavor and acidity needed for fine wines.

"I won't declare any winners," Jordan said. "I'll say I have favorites, and I definitely have losers that I would not recommend.

The project was started by James Wolpert, a retired UC Cooperative Extension viticulture specialist, and continued by Matthew Fidelibus, UCCE viticulture specialist based at Kearney. Jordan took over the project a year and a half ago.

Finding the next cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay would be a home run, Fidelibus said. However, the data supplied by the project are also important in providing farmers and wineries the research and background to expand their own vineyards.

“If any of these varieties are going to be useful, it's important that the wineries are interested and comfortable with them,” Fidelibus said. “The grower can't grow varieties without the assurance that a winery is going to use them.”

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