This trunk scrubber of the vMech system is used by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to control suckers. The device looks similar to a weed whacker with multiple strings. PHOTOS COURTSY OF STE. MICHELLE WINE ESTATES Technology has eliminated the need for hand labor for nearly all vineyard tasks. But while new technology can save grape growers hundreds of dollars per acre, winemakers’ perceptions that grapes from mechanized vineyards are inferior to vines grown only with hand care have made for a slow transition. A series of online financial tools, developed by Oregon State University’s agricultural economist Clark Seavert, are available […]