Situated high above the Ohio River,  LaVigna lays claim to the moderating influence of a large body of water.  Winds blow across the cool waters of the Ohio River and travel directly up a natural chute to the vineyard. This breezeway makes the vineyard unique and enhances the quality of fruit as the winds cool the grapes on hot summer days.

A little more:

The winery and vineyard are located on River Heights Farm overlooking the Ohio River.  Planting in the first year consisted of ~1/3 acre of Cabernet Franc (clone 332) on 12’x6’ spacing.  The trellis system of choice is the Carbonneau Lyre.  This horizontally divided canopy system considered by some to be the “Cadillac of Trellis Systems” will be spur pruned.  The vineyard is located on high ridgelines on the northern side of the Ohio River.  With winds from the southwest, the site has a 175+ day frost-free growing season.  The vineyard site was created by glacial erosion, which supplies good mineral nutrition to the vines via ground rock flours.  The slope creates good air drainage so necessary in such a moist region.  The entire vineyard faces southeast to southwest producing warm microclimates.  Planting in year 2 will consist of ~1 acre of Petit Manseng on the same trellising system with an expansion of the Cabernet Franc block.

Technical specifics:

The vineyard is located approximately 890 feet above sea level on a soil type known as Cincinnati silt loam (a minor soil type of the Eden-Pate-Faywood Association).  This deep, sloping, well drained soil is on ridgetops, at the head of drainageways, and on the side slopes along the drainageways on the Illionoian till plain.  Erosion has removed part of the original surface layer, and subsoil material has been tilled in the present surface layer.  This soil type is surrounded by another soil type known as Faywood silt loam.  This moderately deep, moderately steep, well drained soil is on side slopes along small streams in the uplands.  

The southeast to southwest facing vineyard is on 6 to 12 percent slopes.  On clear, cool nights, when the earth’s heat is radiated away from the ground quickly, the layer of air near the soil is cooler than the air mass above.  Because the air is cooler it is denser, and on slopes steeper than 2 percent, it starts to slide downhill, providing protection from frost damage.

Proximity to the Ohio River is definitely a plus for this site.  The water, leveling out temperature highs and lows, moderates temperatures.  In short, ideal vinifera planting ground.

Plan of operations:

The vineyard consists of two vinifera varietals, Cabernet Franc and Petit Manseng.  Growing these varieties require extensive labor and economic resources to produce the high quality fruit needed for our wines.  The winemaker who will set a date to initiate the harvest will determine ripeness of the fruit.  Several passes through the vineyard will be required to select and sort out the best quality fruit at that time.