Winter through Spring
The winter is the resting period for the vine and it then proceeds to budding and the flowering of the fruit and the appearance of fruit begins.
The pruning and the tying up of the vines transpires during the winter to spring and towards the summer the training
The soil is uncovered in the winter and then gets reworked through the spring into summer.
Summer through Fall
In the summer we see the ripening of the fruit and the fall brings the fruit fully ripened and ready for harvesting.
We will have the trimming of the vines in the summer and in the fall it will be cut back to get ready for the next winter. It is the winter when they bank up the soil.
The soil, both topsoil and subsoil play a crucial role. Vines grow on very poor soils and the restriction helps the flavor and the richness of the grapes. The key is the soil must be able to supply enough water for the vines to grow, yet be able to drain excess rainwater, especially during the ripening period. Drainage is a precarious factor; conditions may be too wet or too dry and may require artificial drainage.
The soil also contributes to the color, aroma, and flavor of the wine. The same grape variety, under the same climatic conditions, may produce wines of markedly different character according to the type of soil on which it is grown such as clay , gravel beds, limestone or granite to name a few; but that’s for another day.
