Grape Growing
GRAPE GROWING The Winegrower or Viticulturist The Winegrower’s Craft into wine. Today, one person may fill both • In summer, the winegrower does leaf roles, or frequently a winery will employ a thinning, removing excess foliage to • Decades ago, winegrowers learned their person for each role. expose the flower sets, and green craft from previous generations, and they pruning, taking off extra bunches, to rarely tasted with other winemakers or control the vine’s yields and to ensure explored beyond their village. The Winegrower’s Tasks quality fruit is produced. Winegrowers continue treatments, eliminate weeds and • In winter, the winegrower begins pruning • Today’s winegrowers have advanced trim vines to expose fruit for maximum and this starts the vegetative cycle of the degrees in enology and agricultural ripening. Winegrowers control birds with vine. He or she will take vine cuttings for sciences, and they use knowledge of soil netting and automated cannons. chemistry, geology, climate conditions and indoor grafting onto rootstocks which are plant heredity to grow grapes that best planted as new vines in the spring, a year • In fall, as grapes ripen, sugar levels express their vineyards. later. The winegrower turns the soil to and color increases as acidity drops. aerate the base of the vines. The winegrower checks sugar levels • Many of today’s winegrowers are continuously to determine when to begin influenced by different wines from around • In spring, the winegrower removes the picking, a critical decision for the wine. the world and have worked a stagé (an mounds of earth piled against the base In many areas, the risk of rain, hail or apprenticeship of a few months or a of the vines to protect against frost.
[Show full text]