After four months of rest, the grape vine repeats this process effectively growing and telling the story of another season. Grape vines are very popular for home gardening throughout the U.S. Grapes are quite tolerant of soil fertility, pH and drought. During this time, viticulturists are diligently pruning each vine in an effort to guide vine growth for next season. Grape vines can grow more than 50 feet long if left alone. DormancyĪfter the seasons fruit has been collected during harvest, all fall leaf foliage falls to the soils and the vines go dormant. Harvest is when the grapes have reached optimal ripeness and are ready to tell the story of the vintage. Harvestįrom September to November, for winemakers, viticulturists and wine country visitors, this is the most exciting time of the wine growing season! There is a palpable buzz and energy as winemakers’ taste, test, and measure brix, or sugar content, and determine when the grapes are ready to be picked.

The heat of summer induces sugar development and ripening in each grape, while the cool evenings (depending on growing region) preserve natural acidity and freshness. Verasion is the process in which the berry clusters begin ripening and turning purple or blueish in color. Grapes need about 50 to 100 square feet per vine if growing vertically on a trellis or arbor and about 8 feet between rows if planting horizontally in rows, and seven to eight hours of direct sun each day. Basically, you need a large, open, sunny space with good soil. VeraisonĬome mid-summer, the green berry clusters begin to expose their color pigmentation. Find the best place to plant your grapes. The fruit set stage of the grape vine is critical, as it becomes the initial indicator of the potential crop yield in harvest. Although, not every flower is fertilized into a berry, so it simply falls off the vine. Seagrape can be grown as a shrub or tree, depending on its planting site and pruning. Fruit SetĪs the summer months set in, the pollinated flower drops its petals and tiny green grape berry clusters with seeds develop at the end of the stem. Grape vines are self-pollinating, so each of these flowers has the potential to turn into a single berry. Flowering is when bunches of tiny flowers bloom from the new vine shoots. FloweringĪs bud break turns into vegetative growth, the next process of the grape vine begins from April to May. Bud break is a delicate time, as the new growth is in danger of spring frost and hail storms. From these buds, green leaves burst awake in preparation for photosynthesis with the warmer months. From March to April the vines experience bud burst. Bud BreakĬome spring the vines reawaken from dormancy. So, in this blog we will examine the lifecycle of the grape vine, the ultimate wine author. With each vintage, the unique interaction between terroir, climate, and weather dictate the narrative of each bottle.

Morgan Beard - Associate Marketing Manager, ConsumerĮvery bottle of wine has a story to tell, and that story begins in the vineyard.

Grape trees