Giornale Meritage Newsletter

From Grape To Glass - What's Happening Now in the Vineyard (The Third in a Series)

Celebrating the Fruit of the Vine!

In the previous “Grapes to Glass” article we featured the little button-like flower clusters that formed on the grapevine after winter’s “bud break.” Actually, not every flower on the vine gets fertilized; the unfertilized flowers eventually fall off the vine. What happens next is the stage when the fertilized flower develops a seed protected by a plump grape berry. This is a critical point for wine production since the amount and size of the grapes determines the potential crop yield.

Many aspects decide the success of these new berries—climate, and the health of the vine itself play a most important role. Low humidity, high temperatures and water stress also are essential ingredients that can either determine abundance or loss of the amount of fertilized flowers.

Vacillating weather conditions and myriad grapevine diseases are, indeed, a viticulturist’s challenge—and nightmare. Any one of them can have an adverse effect on the wine produced from the grape. They can even destroy the entire vine. Producing healthy berries is not for the feint of heart for sure!

The size of the grape berries themselves depends on the number of seeds—so berries with no seeds will be significantly smaller than berries containing seeds. “Green harvesting” is a process in which the vintner removes the tiniest, most immature grapes while they are still green. This culling method results in better ripening, which ultimately induces the vine to put all its energy into developing the remaining grapes.

Bet you didn’t know there was so much to producing your favorite fine wine! Next time you swirl a silky vintage in your glass, take a moment to appreciate all the steps and the hardworking vintner who overcame the multitude of challenges that make or break the long road from grape to glass. The final outcome, if nature cooperates and the vine is bursting with health, is a “berry” sensational crop worth celebrating…glass after glass after glass!