There were good reasons to outlaw irrigation in the 1930s, since over-irrigated vines could produce bloated and watery grapes.
Vines were irrigated daily with tap water (control) or not irrigated at all (water deficit).
In 2009, Fruition Sciences took the Imagine H2O grand prize for a system that monitors vineyards with wireless sensors, weather stations and software, ensuring that vines are irrigated efficiently, leading to optimal berry (or grape) yields.
One of the chief differences between dry farmed vines and irrigated ones is the depth of the roots.
Over the last few years, though, Australian wineries have changed their approach, tearing out vines from hot, irrigated areas and replanting in cooler regions, where riesling is more likely to flourish.
Vines were drip irrigated with 8 l h−1 emitters and grown under well-watered or water deficit conditions post-fruit set (Additional files 1 & 2).
2014, Home Chardonnay, Black Estate, Waipara, 12.5%, $45 Located in North Canterbury, on New Zealand's South Island, Waipara valley is home to a number of premium winegrowing estates, including Black Estate, where they grow chardonnay from 21-year-old vines that were last irrigated in 1998.
However, in 2005 and 2006, under dry summer conditions, disease developed only in the most vigorous vines, which were both irrigated and fertilised.
The vines were regularly microjet irrigated during the season on an approximately weekly basis during May, June and September, and twice weekly during July and August, the months of highest evaporative demand.
Water-deficit treated vines were never irrigated.
