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First of all, grapes yield only one crop per year. Grape harvest for us usually starts the first week in September and lasts until the end of October. The Foch, which is one of the grapes in our Harvest Red, is the first grape variety to be picked and once in awhile it actually gets picked during the last week of August. The grapes that go into our oak-aged reds like Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are the last grapes to be picked and we typically wait until the first frost to pick them. In some years, therefore, this means that we’re picking into November. The timing of picking depends obviously on the ripeness of the grapes, but also on the weather. We can tell when the grapes are ripe when the sugar percentage rises and the acid level lowers. The seeds start turning from green to brown and most importantly, the flavors develop. The weather plays an important role because we do not want to pick in the rain or following a rain event; the grapevines will soak up the water and dilute the grapes. Rain can also cause disease issues. All of our grapes are picked by hand (as our wonderful volunteer pickers know!). Some larger vineyards harvest by machine which mechanically knocks the grapes off of the vine and collects them. And last but not least, contrary to I Love Lucy, nobody stomps the grapes with their feet after they’re picked!
The main reason is the problem of ?cork taint? with natural cork. People say a bottle of wine is ?corked? when it has this problem. Cork taint occurs when compounds found in natural cork react with molds and chlorine in the environment resulting in development of a compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA). TCA causes problems at concentrations as low as a few parts per trillion (a few grains of salt in an Olympic-size swimming pool). In the worst case, TCA causes a wine to have moldy and musty off-aromas and flavors, making the wine undrinkable. A mild TCA contamination may just leave the wine muted with an absence of fruit. Experts estimate that somewhere between 1% and 8% of corks are tainted which is why we have moved away from using natural cork. The two main alternatives are synthetic corks and screw caps and the main hurdle with screw caps is consumer acceptance. So, until people stop associating screw caps with jug wines (and until we can afford a new screw cap machine), we will keep using synthetic corks because we hate corked wines!
What is the difference between Champagne and Sparkling Wine and why don't we call our bubbly Champagne ???
The
answer is pretty simple; our vineyards are not located
in Champagne, France. So why the confusion? Because
some of the large bulk wine producers in California
and New York started calling their cheap sparkling
wine Champagne . This, of course, infuriated the
French. True Champagne comes only from France 's northernmost
winegrowing area, the Champagne region. Manatawny
Creek Winery, along with most American
sparkling wine producers, elects to use the term
sparkling wine in order to show respect to this great
wine-producing area. True Champagne also requires
the use of ?methode champenoise? which is the traditional
method of producing bubbles in the wine by conducting
a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Both of our
bubblies are produced using methode champenoise,
a very labor-intensive production method. But one
that produces very tasty results! And remember, Champagne
and Sparkling wines are not just for New Years' celebrations
? they should be enjoyed throughout the year!
What are sulfites and should we be concerned about them?
Sulfites are a class of compounds added to wine and other foods as a preservative. They are natural compounds that have been used as an anti-oxidant and anti-microbial agent in wines since early recorded history. Concern arose over sulfites when people got sick by eating food at salad bars that was treated with very high levels of sulfites. There are some misconceptions about sulfites that we'll try to clear up:
- All wines contain sulfites ? red, white, French, American, Australian, etc. Yeast naturally produce sulfites during fermentation. Nearly all winemakers add sulfites, including those from all over the world. The U.S. Government requires wine sold in the U.S. to label wine if it contains sulfites. If you drink foreign wine while abroad, you are not being warned, but the wine still contains sulfites. Organic wine must be made without added sulfites, but these wines are quite perishable. The level of sulfites in wine is very small, especially when compared to other foods. Typical levels in wines are about 80 ? 100 ppm (parts per million). Dried fruit, such as apples and apricots are typically packaged with 500 ? 2000 ppm sulfites.
- Research has shown that sulfites do not cause headaches. There is something in red wine linked to headaches, but the cause has not yet been found. We recommend drinking extra water when you drink wine, simply to avoid dehydration which can cause headaches.
Tannins are compounds in wine that dry out your mouth; in fact, many people get the terms “dry” and “tannic” confused for that reason. Dry simply means a lack of sweetness. Tannic means a noticeable level of tannins. They are detectable because they bind with the proteins in your mouth leaving a dry, puckering sensation. These compounds are present in the skins and seeds of grapes. Red wines have more tannins than whites since red grapes are fermented in contact with the skins and seeds. Winemakers who want to get more tannins in their red wines, will leave the wine on the skins and seeds for a long period of time during fermentation. Winemakers who want less tannins may use fining agents to remove tannins from a wine. Tannins are also present in oak, so wines that are aged in oak barrels tend to be more tannic due to the tannins extracted from the barrel.
Tannins are a part of a group of compounds called Phenolics and have antioxidant properties which have been in the news lately because of the health benefits. The amount of tannins that people like in a wine is a very subjective thing. Some people like more than others. The type of food you are eating with a wine may also determine your enjoyment level regarding tannins. At Manatawny Creek Winery, we tend to make our wines with relatively low levels of tannins.
We hear this question all the time and the answer is quite complicated. But basically, it really depends on the type of wine, how it’s made and personal preference. Let’s discuss each of these 3 factors one at a time.
The type of wine is very important when considering how long to hold a wine before drinking it. As a wine ages, it tends to lose fruit and gain complexity. Typically, fruit wines and most white wines should be consumed young before they lose a lot of fruit character. Oak-aged white wines like Chardonnay can sometimes be held longer because they have acquired some tannins from the barrels that give them some aging capacity. Red wines can typically be aged longer than white wines, although there are exceptions. Certain specialty wines, like Vintage Port, can be aged for a very long time. The grape variety and the location of the vineyard plays a critical role when determining aging capacity; a big Cabernet Sauvignon made from grapes grown in Bordeaux will last much longer than a fruity Concord made from grapes grown in Pennsylvania.
Winemaking practices have an effect on aging capacity of wine. Factors that affect the aging potential such as levels of acid, alcohol, sugar and tannins can be manipulated by winemakers. Taking tannins that we discussed in last months’ Question of the Month as an example, a winemaker may leave the wine in contact with the skins during fermentation for a few weeks to make a highly tannic red wine. Alternately, there are fining agents that can be used to remove tannins to make a less tannic wine. A highly tannic wine will taste much better after years of aging because upon aging, tannins bind together and create a softer, more drinkable wine.
Possibly, the most important factor when deciding on how long to age a wine is personal preference. Some people prefer fruit-forward wines while other people will exchange fruit for complexity. Some people like tannins while others don’t like that puckering sensation that tannins can cause. The list goes on. Preferences can also be affected by what you are eating with the wine, but that is another topic!
So what do we recommend for our wines? All of our fruit wines and white wines will be best if consumed within 1 year. The exception would be our oak-aged Chardonnay which some may prefer with another year of aging. The fruity red wines like the Harvest Red, Concord and Chambourcin also fall into the 1-year category. Our dry, oak-aged reds like the Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and the Meritage are made to be consumed upon release, but will also do well with up to 2 or 3 years of aging. Our Port definitely needs a year or two of aging before reaching its peak and should be drunk within 5 years.
Wine should be stored in a cool location where a constant temperature is maintained. Heat is a wine's enemy so no matter how nice it looks, don't install a wine rack in a cabinet above your stove or refrigerator! High temperatures make a wine age must faster than normal. Fluctuations in temperatures force air in and out of the bottle and can also cause rapid aging due to exposure to oxygen. Wine coolers are a great way to store wine, but are rather expensive. Usually, a nice, cool basement is a good location for wine storage.
One other thing to remember when storing wine with natural cork is that the cork must be kept wet. That means the wine either needs to be stored on its side or upside down. If the cork dries out, air can get into the bottle easier and cause spoilage. Wines with synthetic corks or screw caps can be stored in any position.
After a bottle of wine is opened, the wine is immediately exposed to oxygen which causes spoilage reactions to occur. If an opened bottle with headspace is left out on the counter in your kitchen, the wine’s flavor will start to change and the wine may spoil in a few days. Spoilage does not mean that the wine is harmful to drink; in this context it could mean anything from vinegar to just not “tasting good” anymore.
So how do you make an opened bottle of wine last longer? There are 2 major things you can do. The first is to chill it by putting it into the refrigerator; with red wine, you would just need to allow enough time to warm the wine up before serving again. The second is to remove the oxygen. The pump apparatus that people use helps a bit because it removes some of the air, but you can’t create enough of a vacuum to remove all of the oxygen. Spraying compressed gas (Private Reserve for example) into the bottle helps also because you are replacing oxygen with an inert gas like nitrogen or argon. But the absolute best way to remove the oxygen is to pour the remaining wine into another smaller container. Our suggestion is to get a 375-mL bottle (half-size bottle) and when you open a bottle that you will not finish, pour half of it into the smaller bottle. That leaves 2 glasses for now and 2 glasses for later!
Malolactic (often shortened to ML) fermentation, sometimes called the secondary fermentation, typically follows the primary fermentation (where the yeast convert sugar to alcohol). In this ML fermentation, bacteria convert malic acid in the wine to lactic acid, thereby reducing acidity and making the wine softer. Sometimes these bacteria produce a buttery or butterscotch character during the fermentation. ML bacteria are added to certain wines depending on the desired style. At Manatawny Creek Winery, we put all of the dry reds through ML including the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Meritage and Chambourcin. The only white that typically gets put through ML is the Chardonnay; the butterscotch character that may be noticeable in the Chardonnay is due to the ML fermentation. The Pinot Grigio may or may not get put through ML depending on the acidity. Fruity wines like the Riesling or Vidal Blanc will not get ML bacteria added, because we do not want anything to take away from the fruit.
The answer is that we never add any flavorings to our wine - all the flavors that are described occur naturally from either the grapes themselves, the yeast during fermentation, or oak barrels during aging. For example, even though most of our wines are made from grapes, other fruits like strawberry, cherry, raspberry, and blackberry emerge from the grape during fermentation. These fruit flavors and aromas are very subtle most of the time, but often you can detect them when you are looking for them. Other aromas and flavors, like butterscotch for example, are caused by malolactic bacteria during a secondary fermentation (see website for last month's question of the month). Wines that are aged in oak, like the Cabernet Franc and Merlot, exhibit aromas of vanilla and toasty wood, which are extracted from the barrel into the wine during the aging process. Certain types of grapes make wines with distinct characteristics. As an example, Gewurztraminer, a white grape, will often make a wine that has aromas of rose petals and lychee nuts. Pinot Noir, a red grape, may contain aromas of strawberries, mushrooms and violets. So next time you've got a glass of wine in front of you, open your mind to all of the many possible flavors and aromas, and see if that changes your wine-drinking experience!
Ice wine (or Eiswein in Germany ) is a term referring to a rich, sweet dessert wine made from grapes that have been picked frozen on the vine and pressed before they thaw. Since a lot of the water present in the grapes is frozen and stays in the press, the resulting juice is very concentrated, yielding high sugars and acids. The wine made from this juice is very concentrated and flavorful, the high level of sweetness balanced out by the high acidity. Ice wine is typically very expensive because of the low yields that occur from pressing frozen grapes. Temperatures of 18 degrees Fahrenheit are needed to freeze the grapes on the vine, which should explain why we, at Manatawny Creek Winery, do not make it - we are a bit too far south to get these temperatures on a consistent basis. Ice wine is traditionally made from German white grape varieties such as Riesling. Ontario , Canada has made a name for itself by making ice wine out of Vidal Blanc. There is a bit of a controversy in the ice wine world regarding cryo-extracted or "freezer wines" where the grapes are picked and put in a freezer before they are pressed. Some countries, such as Canada and Germany , have laws forbidding labeling these types of wines ice wines. However it's made, ice wine makes a wonderful dessert wine and, if the global warming trend reverses, maybe we can make it someday!
White oak is the favorite wood used in barrels and imparts both flavors and tannins to wine. Typical oak flavors include vanilla, toast and smoke. The barrels lose their ability to impart flavors after 3 to 5 years of use and the oak character diminishes each year. Wineries who use new oak every year need to charge more for the wine because barrels are so expensive; a typical American barrel costs about $350 while French barrels can cost over $700. Many winemakers think that American oak has a stronger, sweeter character than its French counterpart. The other major region of the world that supplies oak for barrels is Hungary and Hungarian oak barrels seem to have a more smoky character than others. Most of the oak in America comes from Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio, but it turns out that the Appalachian mountains in Pennsylvania are a great source for slow-growing oak and companies are starting to make PA barrels. Most of the barrels we use at Manatawny Creek Winery are Pennsylvania oak barrels for a truly PA product. French oak is used in our Pinot Noir and Hungarian oak is used in our Merlot, but PA oak dominates the Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Meritage! Some wine bottle shapes and colors are based on tradition such as the use of dark green high-shouldered bottles in the Bordeaux region of France. Therefore, most of the world's wineries use these bottles when bottling "Bordeaux" varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Sloped-shouldered bottles are used throughout the Burgundy and Rhone regions in France to bottle varieties associated with these areas like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Other countries typically follow suit when bottling these varieties with the notable exception of Australia, who bottles their Shiraz (same grape as Syrah) in Bordeaux-style bottles. The tall, slender hock or flute style of bottle is used in Germany and Alsace and is associated with varieties grown there such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer; the hock bottles are brown in the Rhine region of Germany and green in the Mosel region. Some bottles have punts or an indentation at the bottom of the bottle - this doesn't serve much purpose in still wine except for presentation, but is important to reinforce the bottle to withstand pressure in sparkling wine. For hybrid varieties without the tradition history, anything goes! So we put our Vidal Blanc in a bright blue hock bottle just for the fun of it.
There are a few reasons why drinking wine could cause a headache and the answer really depends on the individual. The first cause is simply dehydration. Not keeping your body hydrated when drinking any alcohol can cause a headache. The second cause is tannins. Tannins, which are found in the skins of grapes and are the compound that causes your mouth to feel dry and puckery when you're drinking red wine, have been shown to make the body release seratonins and high levels of seratonins can cause headaches. Tannins are present at much higher levels in red wine than in white wine, so if only red wine gives you headaches, tannins may be the cause. The third potential cause is histamines. Histamines are also present in the skins of grapes and the fact that some people lack an enzyme to break down histamines efficiently has led researchers to believe that histamines can contribute to headaches. This theory, however, has been questioned based on other studies that have not supported it. Once again, only red wines would cause headaches if histamines were the culprit. The last potential cause of headaches is sulfites. This theory is questionable, however, because typically white wine contains more sulfites than red wine and red wine is usually to blame for headaches. Also, a more typical response to sulfites is respiratory problems rather than headaches.
So what should you do if you get headaches? I personally make sure that I drink one glass of water for each glass of wine consumed. If you think tannins may be the cause, try and choose red wines that are lower in tannin content; for example, drink Chambourcin instead of Cabernet Sauvignon. The histamine hypothesis people believe that taking an anti-histamine before drinking wine could help. Obviously, asking the advice of your doctor would be a good idea. Another good idea would be to keep a log of which wines that you drink cause the headaches and see if any kind of pattern emerges - hopefully your favorite wines are not the culprits!
Everyone knows that you chill whites and you don’t chill reds. But the problem with that simplistic rule is that white wines generally get served too cold and red wines too warm. A good rule of thumb is to take white wines out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving and pop the red wines into the fridge 20 minutes before serving. Ideal serving temperatures for white wines are around 45-55 degrees; if they are too cold, they are refreshing but can lose some of their taste. Most red wines are best when served at about 65 degrees which typically is a little cooler than room temperature. An exception to this rule of thumb is sparkling wine which should be chilled thoroughly before popping the cork in order to prevent gushing and losing a good portion of the bottle.
You’ve probably watched someone open a bottle of wine and instead of pouring into your glass for consumption, letting it sit in order for it to “breathe”. Is it necessary? For some wines, the answer is Yes! Allowing a wine to breathe simply means contacting it with some air for a period of time. This can be accomplished either by pouring the bottle into a decanter or simply pouring the wine into glasses, allowing a lot of air space. Sometimes a wine is described as “closed” immediately upon opening meaning the flavors are somewhat masked. Red wines that are a bit tannic can benefit from breathing because the air contact will soften the tannins. Be careful not to let an older wine breathe too long because it can deteriorate quite rapidly. And how long should you let a wine breathe? The answer, of course, depends on the wine; experimentation is key. If the wine tastes good immediately upon opening, by all means, drink it right away. But if the wine tastes harsh or lacking in flavor, pour some into a glass and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes and try it again. I always find it fascinating to see how a red wine changes in the glass with time!
Sometimes you will find some tartrate crystals in a bottle of wine, particularly stuck to the cork or settled to the bottom of the bottle. These crystals are comprised of potassium bitartrate, also known as cream of tartar in your kitchen, and are completely harmless. During the winemaking process, a wine is often cold-stabilized to try and remove these crystals; this is accomplished by holding the wine at a very cold temperature for a length of time, usually a few weeks. However, the removal of tartrates is a solubility issue as well as a temperature issue and can take a long time. Therefore, after a wine is bottled and held for a time, more tartrate crystals may precipitate out of the wine and show up in your glass. But now you know that they are no big deal and you can impress your friends at dinner parties with your knowledge of potassium bitartrate!
The quick answer is 3 to 4 years. Planting grapevines usually takes place in April in Pennsylvania. After the first growing season, when the plant goes dormant in November, the vine will get cut back to a few buds, almost to the ground. During the second growing season, the vine is allowed to grow as much as possible, but all the grape clusters will be removed. We want the plant to put its energy into developing its root system and becoming strong instead of ripening grapes. The following winter, the vine will be pruned back to the fruiting wire, which is about 3 feet off the ground. During the third growing season, canes will be laid down along the fruiting wire to form cordons, and depending on the strength of the vine, some grapes will be kept and allowed to ripen. A full crop of grapes will then be harvested following the fourth growing season. All good things take time!
YES, they sure do. I thought this would be an appropriate question for July since the first of the Japanese beetles arrived in our vineyards this week. In many years we can ignore them because their populations are small and they only do a little damage to the vines. The last two years, however, have been absolutely horrible with regards to the beetles and it looks like 2008 may be another bad year. How much damage can they do you may ask. Well, if we don't kill them, they can completely strip a vine of leaves. Without leaves, photosynthesis cannot occur and the vine cannot ripen the grapes. Unfortunately, nobody has found a natural solution on a commercial scale that has been very effective on the beetles and we need to spray insecticide when the populations get too high. There are so many beetles that after spraying, you can walk on a crunchy carpet of dead beetles in the vineyard which is quite disgusting!
Both our blush and rosé wines are actually made
from red grapes. Typically red grapes are crushed and
fermented on the skins so the color is extracted from
the skins into the juice. This process usually takes
about a week to ten days before the wine is separated
from the skins in the press. To make a pink wine, the
skins are only left in contact with the juice for a
short time, usually about 24 hours. This short contact
time allows only a small extraction of the color from
the skins. This lack of skin contact also results in
a lighter-bodied wine with less tannins. Rosé wines
are popular in France where they are often made slightly
sweet, especially in the Loire Valley. The term blush
wine has replaced the term rosé wine in the United
States for the most part and probably the most well-known
blush wine in the country is White Zinfandel which
is made from red Zinfandel grapes.
Beginning the last week in August, we collect random samples of the early grape varieties. This is done by taking grapes from different parts of the cluster, from different clusters and from different vines along the row until we have approximately 100 berries. The 100-berry sample is put into a Ziploc bag where the grapes are smashed by hand to simulate crushing. The juice is then carefully poured out of the bag, leaving the skins and seeds inside, and centrifuged to get a relatively clear juice sample. There are three tests performed on the juice: sugar, acid and pH. The seeds are examined to see if hardening has occurred. As the grapes ripen, the sugar content increases, the acid content decreases, the pH rises and the seeds turn hard and brown. As important as all these analyses are, the most important factor in determining ripeness is the flavor. Tasting the grapes and the juice allows a determination if flavor development has peaked and picking time for that particular variety has arrived. Berry sampling continues all during harvest season for each variety. Of course Mother Nature has a large say in picking time since we don’t want to pick the grapes in the rain!
Our volunteer pickers know the answer to that question – all by hand! In many parts of the world, large machine harvesters are used where the grapes are shaken off the vine. Grapes can be harvested very quickly when machine-picked but the disadvantage is that everything gets picked – there is no opportunity to cull out unripe or rotten fruit like there is when hand-picked. The main disadvantage to a machine harvester, however, is the cost. Only larger vineyards can afford to use them. Hand harvesting is done with clippers or grape knives and the entire cluster is cut off the vine. A good picker can pick about ˝ ton in an eight-hour day. Compare that to about 5 tons per hour picked by the machine harvester. Picking for us here in Pennsylvania starts at the end of August and will go until after frost. So far this year we have picked most of our hybrids including the Steuben that gets used for Autumn Blush, the Foch and Chancellor that gets used in the Harvest Red, and the Seyval Blanc and Cayuga White which gets put into the Soleils Jumeaux. Vinifera that has been picked include Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. We will probably pick our Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc and Gewurztraminer this week. Varieties like the Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chambourcin typically will not get picked until after frost, in late October or early November. Once we get a hard frost, all the leaves will turn brown and fall off the vine which makes for very easy picking!
The first step in making wine is running the grapes through the destemmer/crusher which separates the grapes from the stems. The second step is separating either the juice or wine from the skins and seeds in the press. Since we process about 60 tons of grapes at our winery during harvest, a lot of waste is generated. We take all this waste, along with horse manure from neighbors, out to our composting area and turn waste into fertilizer. If you are standing on the deck at the winery in the wintertime (when the leaves are off the trees), you may be able to see the composting area in the field behind the line of trees. There are several compost piles in various states of completeness going from young brown piles to old black piles. Once the piles are nice and black, we spread the completed compost on the dormant grapevines in November to add nutrients, organic matter, and beneficial microorganisms. The use of compost precludes the use of chemical fertilizers and is a large part of our goal to farm in a more sustainable manner.
We get a lot of people in the tasting room whose doctor has told them to start drinking red wine for their health. How encouraging! So what exactly is going on in red wine that benefits your health? The first benefit comes from the alcohol itself; moderate amounts of alcohol raise the good cholesterol, prevent the bad cholesterol from forming, and also thin blood, thus having cardiovascular benefits. This is true for alcohol in white wine, beer, and liquor as well as red wine. However, red wine contains compounds that these other types of alcohols do not. When red grapes are fermented in contact with the skins, antioxidants like resveratrol and other polyphenols are leached from the skins into the wine. These antioxidants attack free radicals in the body and are thought to aid in prevention of some forms of cancers and also reduce the risk of heart disease. There have been some studies that link the compounds in red wine to the possible prevention or postponement of dementia diseases like Alzheimers. Something that tastes good with all those benefits is a must on everyone’s dinner table!
Port is a sweet, fortified wine that is typically served after a meal. The process to make port differs from the typical winemaking process for table wines in that the fermentation is stopped about halfway by the addition of grape neutral spirits. This results in a wine with an alcohol content between 18% and 20% with a lot of the natural sweetness from the grape remaining. Port originated in Portugal’s Douro Valley and the name comes from the fact that historically, these wines were shipped out of the city of Oporto.
There are three basic categories
of port made with red grapes – vintage, ruby and tawny (white port is made with white grapes but is much less common). Vintage ports, the expensive type, are made from grapes of a single vintage and are typically bottled with only a little more than a year of aging in barrel. They are only made in declared years in Portugal and the consumer is expected to do most of the aging since Vintage port gets better with age and often needs many years to become drinkable. Ruby port can be made from grapes of different vintages and is aged for about 2 years before release. It is typically ready to drink when released and is simpler and less expensive than Vintage port. Tawny ports are made from grapes of different vintages and aged in barrels to purposely undergo slow oxidation; this turns the color of the red wine to a tawny color and gives it a unique character. The label of a Tawny port will often show the average number of years of aging - typically 10, 20, 30 or over 40 years.
The grape varieties used in port
in Portugal are numerous and varied and do not include
anything that we grow in Pennsylvania. At Manatawny
Creek, we make our port from Cabernet Franc, one
of the red varieties that grows very well in our
area. We produce it in the vintage port style, using
grapes from a single vintage and bottling the wine
after 1 year of aging in neutral oak. Our port definitely
benefits from several years of aging and, just like
true Portuguese Port, is the ideal beverage to pair
with chocolate!
The grapevines go dormant in November and will remain in their dormant state until budbreak sometime in late April or early May. While the vines are dormant, pruning takes place. Pruning is a huge job where each of the approximately 25 shoots per vine are cut back to 2 buds. These 2 buds contain the 2 shoots for the next growing season and there are typically 2 grape clusters per shoot. Pruning is necessary in order to maintain the size and shape of the vine and to ensure consistent productivity. If a vine is left unpruned, it will become unruly and out of control, fruit production will decrease, and the quality of the fruit will severely decline due to too much vegetation. The best quality grapes are from a balanced grapevine and pruning is essential to achieve this balance.
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