Speed, precision on display at Sonoma County Pruning Championship (w/video)

There are tough critics. And then there are really tough critics, of the Simon Cowell variety.

Kirk Lokka, vineyard manager of Emeritus Vineyards, likely could fit in the latter group solely for his role as an “esteemed judge” Friday morning in the annual Sonoma County Pruning Championship held at Shone Farm in Forestville.

The contestants were judged on the combination of their speed and the quality of their trimming of syrah grape branches in the Shone vineyards, which are part of the Santa Rosa Junior College property.

As part of a team that surveyed the cuts after the first participants finished, Lokka judged the work and was rattling off plenty “minus ones” as his fellow judges walked the row. Lokka helped write the rulebook for the event when it started 16 years ago, and at times still prunes some of the vineyards he oversees.

The commentary was harsh, but insightful for work that is a crucial winter task in the vineyard to ensure a healthy harvest in late summer:

“Look at this cut. Jesus, he got panicky.”

“Why didn’t he leave a renewal (spur)?”

“That’s not a tough one, he should have cut it off.”

“Too long.” (Uttered many times while pointing at the length of the cut of a twig.)

“Good for him. … Good for him. … What the hell?”

“How bad do we want to be?” (Fellow judge Lee Martinelli replied, “We got to be fair.”)

But beneath the gruff criticism, Lokka later noted the participants were the best of the best in the county. Between the rush of the competition and the fact that syrah is likely the toughest vine to prune, he acknowledged some mistakes were bound to be made.

The job is difficult, as workers must ensure the branches will allow enough room for grape clusters to grow evenly and spaced out enough to prevent rot and mildew. Decisions on how much to prune are not just made in the field, but include input from vineyard managers, winemakers and company executives who set targets for how much of a certain crop they need in the upcoming harvest.

And they must do the task quickly, given that Sonoma County has 60,000 acres of vineyards and a dearth of qualified workers.

Rosendo Avila of Emeritus Vineyards won the top prize, receiving a $1,000 award as well as various shears and other tools and clothing. Gustavo Rico of Seghesio Family Vineyards finished second, and Samuel Campos of Vimark Vineyards finished third.

The Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation and the Sonoma County Winegrowers sponsored the event.

Area farmers started pruning in mid-November and work has been completed in as much as 80 percent of Sonoma County’s vineyards, said Karissa Krusse, president of the Sonoma County Winegrowers, which represents more than 1,800 growers.

However, many vineyard managers are racing to finish their remaining pruning as soon as possible, as bud break has been reported on vines across the county. Typically, bud break doesn’t occur until March.

Workers have to be much more careful when trimming around the branches when there is bud break, Lokka said. The buds eventually will bloom into leaves and vines and then turn to clusters of grapes in the summer. One bad snip ensures that they don’t bloom, a costly mistake for Sonoma County’s most profitable crop.

You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @BillSwindell.