Where does the word SPRING come from? The origins date back to the 1400s, and spring meant “the season in which plants begin to rise”, to spring forward from the ground: BEGINNING.
Bud break - the cycle of the grapevine BEGINS!
Bud opens.
The grape vines begin to “push” as days become warmer and longer, from energy stored from the previous season’s carbohydrates. Result: BUD BREAK – buds burst into life, defying the grapevines’ tough outer woody layer. New, tender leaves and shoots explode!
Growth takes off, thinning will follow. Here are our 2 new dogs, Ardinia and Lula.
Then comes GROWTH – at first slow and then a frenzy in the vineyard – vine growth of 1.6 cm / 1” daily. Our organic cover crop follows in the frenzy, with intention (and color!), “feeds” the soil in our vineyards with nutrients vital for grape, and therefore wine, quality. During this time it is imperative to make sure the vines are free of insect or fungal damage.
Tendrils form into future grape clusters.
About 4 to 6 weeks after bud break miniscule clusters form on the young shoot’s tips, the grapevine self-pollinates and the fertilized flowers develop into a seed and berry, this is called CLUSTER FORMATION. This takes about 10 – 14 days. Fun fact: for most varietals, only 20 - 50% of the flowers develop into grapes.
Miniscule flowers.
You can see some of the dried flowers that will fall to the ground.
GROWTH continues, at this time the berries are hard. They will develop into what becomes the nectar of the gods – our Portos and Douro DOC red wines! Harvest starts approximately 100 days after flowering, when the grape sugars reach the desired level.
Intense, unrelenting and forward moving… SPRING!