The dark, cold, winter days begin the cycle when the vines are pruned by hand; a laborious and important job. The experienced Vinetenders crew selects the canes that will be kept and become the fruit bearing vines for the upcoming grape harvest. The remaining canes are cut from the stalk and carefully removed from the trellis. The resulting brush is chopped and returned to the soil increasing organic content. After brush removal, a third pass is made through the vineyard to tie the canes to the trellis. Typically beginning in late December and finishing by the end of February, the pruning and tying activities are completed regardless of the weather conditions. Oregonians know there is no typical Oregon weather, especially in winter, so the vineyard crew may be trudging through snow or enjoying 65 degree days while pruning.
Spring; 2010 Vintage Begins
Budbreak is a welcome transition from the winter weather to warmer spring days. Influenced by climate, location and grape varietal, timing is crucial. The young shoots may be vulnerable to frost damage if they emerge too early, or the grapes may not have time to fully ripen if budbreak occurs too late. Ideal conditions include temperatures remaining above freezing and minimal rain and wind storms. Inclement weather poses the threat of damage to the delicate shoots.
Vinifera Grape Bloom
Bloom; Nature's Gift
Often overlooked is the delicate fragrance of the vinifera grape bloom. Vinifera grapes are largely self-pollinating with the pollen originating from the stamen transferring to the ovary only 1/8" away. This short distance can be easily disrupted by wind, rain and cold weather conditions resulting in decreased fruit production, or "poor set." During bloom, the vineyard is at the mercy of mother nature, and the growers are anxiously scrutinizing weather forecasts.
The countdown to harvest begins with calendars marked 100 days from bloom!
Joey and John Myers hedging Myers Vineyard
Summer; the Road to Ripening
Canopy management is the primary vineyard activity in June and July. It is critical to keep the vines growing and healthy yet allow the summer sun to penetrate the leaves and encourage ripening. Vineyard workers pull leaves by hand to isolate and expose the clusters to the sunshine and reduce the potential for mildew and rot. Hedging removes the tips of the vines to reduce the size of the canopy and encourage lateral vine growth and keep the grapevine healthy and generating photosynthesis until harvest. Crop thinning by hand removes a specific number of clusters to achieve the optimum amount per acre of crop. Crop estimates are ongoing throughout the season to determine the number of clusters and estimate the tons per acre.
Summer is also the perfect time to layout new vineyards. Experienced vineyard crews determine vine position and row orientation and prepare the soil for fall and spring planting.
Hedged vine showing lateral growth
Veraison; Color in the Vineyard
Véraison is a French term adopted into American viticultural language signifying the beginning of berry ripening. The berries become soft and take on the colors characteristic of their specific varieties. They stop growing in size and begin accumulating sugar and flavor. Typically occurring in August, the growers hope for optimal weather conditions; warm days and cool nights, to promote flavor and sugar development.
Harvest; a Time of Fruition
Check the weather forecast and work long days; a repetitive scenario during harvest!
Vinetenders' endless hours managing the vineyard during the year culminates in a few weeks of intense harvest activity. Picking decisions, often made at the last minute by the winemaker, send the Vinetenders crew and vineyard workers scrambling at daybreak to pick during the early cool hours of the day.
Pinot noir ready for harvest
Harvest crew heading out in the early morning to pick
