THE life of a winemaker/grape grower can be difficult. It doesn’t matter how good you are, because every year, there is one big variable that can throw a wrench into the best laid plans. And who is that? Mother Nature, of course.
Vintage is the most exciting – and frantic – time of any winery’s calendar year.
In Australia, this kicks off between February and April (earlier for warmer areas, later for cooler areas). And what happens in between is the greatest determinant of a wine's quality in a given vintage.
First step: veraison
(French word pronounced ‘veer azon’), when the grapes start ripening – they lose their bright green colour and go yellow (for white grapes) and red or purple black (for red grapes). This process lasts about 30 to 70 days.
Controlling Crop Size
Top grapegrowers will limit their yields, because fewer bunches equals riper and higher quality grapes. Leaves can be frustrating; too much shade can boost rot and mildew. So they may remove leaves around the grapes to promote ripening and air circulation. (In very expensive vineyards of Burgundy, they have helicopters fly above the vines to encourage circulation!)
Protecting the Crop
Grapevines are at the mercy of insects, birds, mildew, rot, fungi, bacteria, viruses – you name it! Growers can apply pesticides and fungicides (even organic producers can use special solutions). Other options are controlling the ‘canopy’ of leaves and for birds, using big nets (New Zealand is a classic example), hire falconers or even use cannons to scare the birds away!
Here’s a fact: wineries plant roses at the end of the vine rows as the flowers are susceptible to the same diseases as grapes – early detection, and pretty!
To pick or not to pick?
Depending on the grape variety, region and wine style, the ripening process will vary. Some grapes, e.g Tempranillo (the name actually means ‘early’ in Spanish) and others, like Petit Verdot, ripen long after. Cooler climates (think Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania) have longer ripening cycles, while hotter ones, (Barossa, McLaren Vale, Margaret River), have shorter cycles.
During this time, you’ll spot winemakers tasting their grapes again and again on the vine to determine the ideal harvest date and once they’ve given the ‘all go’ the pickers will quickly descend on the fruit.
The date of harvest is rarely ever the same from one year to the next, so winegrowers must call it as best they can. Timing is crucial. This explains why you’ll hear of a “bad” or “good” vintage.
So next time you pour a glass of wine, spare a thought for the folks who did vintage, working around the clock for weeks on end – and probably still scrubbing the grape stains off their fingers!
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