The Art of Wine Making: Knowing How to Prune Dormant Grapevines to Ensure Proper Growth

Photo by Spencer DeMera on Unsplash

Pruning mature grapevines while they are dormant is crucial for healthy growth and bountiful production in the upcoming season. Pruning grapevines is an intricate blend of art and science. The art of successful pruning hinges on making decisions based on various factors that can differ from vine to vine, season to season, and vineyard to vineyard.

Experienced pruners must possess the ability to “read” the vines, comprehending its growth pattern from the previous year, its overall health, and its capacity to support a certain amount of wood.

Grapevines are comprised of two main parts - the “Old” wood (cordons or trunks) which is the permanent structure of the vine, and the “New” wood (canes) which are the flexible, yearly growth that will bear fruit in the upcoming season.

Pruning is a delicate balancing act that involves removing old, unproductive wood while leaving sufficient healthy new wood for the upcoming season’s growth. The objective is to ensure optimal airflow through the vines, adequate sunlight exposure, and ample space for new shoots to emerge.

Pruning is an art and a science, and it can take years to perfect. But, by cutting back in the right places and by just the right amount encourages strong new canes for fruitful growth come spring. A real art indeed!

Behind the Cork™ - Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Merlot

2018 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Merlot ($16.99)

Chateau Ste. Michelle founded a wine region, and they’re not done blazing trails yet. They honor their 55-year legacy of making world-class Washington wine, while taking bold steps to build our future with 2,600 acres of sustainably farmed estate vineyards, state-of-the-art cellar technology, and a talented, passionate winemaking team led by head winemaker Katie Nelson, with 30 years of Washington winemaking experience.

Indian Wells grapes are sourced from their namesake Indian Wells Vineyard, along with a variety of other warm-climate Washington vineyards that range from the Wahluke Slope to Cold Creek Vineyard.

This Indian Wells Merlot is a deep purple wine with enticing aromas of dark fruits and spices. On the palate, it boasts a full-bodied character with flavors of blackberry, medium tannins, balanced acidity, and vanilla notes from its oak aging. The finish is smooth and lingering, leaving a pleasant impression.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Merlot is a delightful wine that is widely available at an affordable price. This makes it an ideal choice for this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

The Art of Wine Making: Determining Which Grapes Will Grow Best

Photo by Martin Katler on Unsplash

As was previously noted, wine making is a combination of science and art. One of the factors that’s considered an art is selecting the right grapes to grow in the right area.

In winemaking, terroir describes the interplay of environmental factors—soil, topography, and climate—that shape the unique characteristics of a wine. By understanding their terroir, winemakers can select the most suitable grapes and ensure a successful and flavorful wine.

Here’s how terroir affects grape choices:

• Climate: Different grape varieties have distinct climate requirements. For instance, cooler climates are more suitable for grape varieties like Pinot Noir and Riesling, which necessitate a longer growing season and cooler temperatures. Conversely, warmer climates tend to favor heat-loving grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Zinfandel.

• Soil: The composition of the soil significantly influences the growth of grapes and the flavor profile of the resulting wine. For instance, grapes grown in well-drained, rocky soils, such as those found in Bordeaux, tend to produce wines with more concentrated flavors. Conversely, fertile soils may encourage more vigorous vine growth, potentially leading to wines with less intensity.

• Topography: A vineyard’s elevation, slope, and sunlight exposure significantly impact grape ripening. Grapes grown on steeper slopes or with south-facing exposure receive more sunlight, which aids in the development of sugar and the grapes’ complete ripening. Consequently, certain grape varieties are more frequently found on specific slopes or elevations within renowned wine regions.

• Microclimates: Even within a region, different vineyards may have distinct microclimates due to factors such as wind patterns or proximity to bodies of water. These subtle variations can significantly influence a winemaker’s choice of grape varieties to plant.

In summary, winemakers must select grape varieties that are best suited to the specific terroir of their vineyards, as this can significantly impact the quality and style of the wine.

Behind the Cork™ - Frank Family Napa Zinfandel

2017 Frank Family Napa Zinfandel ($38)

Rich Frank, the founder of Frank Family Winery, developed a passion for wine, particularly Bordeaux and Italian wines, during his extensive travels as the former President of Disney Studios. In the 1980s, he discovered his love for the Napa Valley and soon after purchased a home with a vineyard in the heart of Rutherford. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of Rich’s “second career” as the owner of one of Napa’s most esteemed wineries, Frank Family Vineyards.

Leslie (Miller) Frank, the co-founder of Frank Family Vineyards, is an Emmy Award-winning journalist. Today, Leslie actively participates in the strategic marketing and branding of Frank Family and their luxurious collection of wines.

This Frank Family Napa Zinfandel is produced from 91% Zinfandel along with 9% Petite Sirah that were sourced from the family estate and purchased grapes. The wine is aged in new and twice-filled French oak barrels.

This Zinfandel is dark purple in color with jammy aromas of dark fruit. On the palate, this full-bodied Zinfandel has flavors of black berry, black cherry and red plum. It has medium tannin (decanted for one hour) balanced acidity. It finishes smooth with hints of toasted oak.

This Frank Family Napa Zinfandel is a real treat at a great price for a Napa wine, making it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers! 

Some of the Factors that Go into the Art of Wine Making

While there is a lot of science and chemistry involved in winemaking, it is also considered an art. This is because wine making involves creativity, intuition, and personal expression. 

Here are just some the artistic factors that go into wine making:

• Determining which grapes will grow best in the area (i.e., terroir)

• Knowing how to prune mature grapevines while they are dormant

• Knowing how to prune the vines during the growth period to create the proper canopy to give the grapes just right amount of sun and shade

• Deciding when to remove bunches of grapes from vines before they ripen to further the concentration of flavor in the remaining grapes

• Choosing the “right” time to harvest the grapes (e.g., sugar levels, acidity, skin color)

• Choosing to de-stem the grapes or leave them as whole clusters for fermentation

• Deciding how to press the grapes (manual crushing, basket pressing, roller crushing)

• Choosing whether to let them macerate (i.e., soaking the crushed grapes (skin, seeds, stems) in their juice

• Picking the “right” yeast (wild vs cultivated)

• Choosing the vessel for fermentation and aging (e.g., stainless steel vs oak)

• Controlling fermentation to the “right” temperature

• Determining how long to let fermentation go

• Deciding to allow the wine to undergo Malolactic conversion or not

• How and when to do punch downs and pump overs

• Allowing a wine to age on-lees (i.e., the dead yeast cells)

• Knowing when to top off barrels so as to minimize the wine’s exposure to oxygen

• Choosing to filter and/or fine the wine and which technique to use

• Making decisions on blending (different vineyards, different grapes)

• Choice of oak barrels for aging (French vs US, new vs used, degree of toasting of the inner barrels)

• Use of other aging vessels (e.g., Stainless Steel, concrete, clay amphora)

• Determining how long to age the wine

• Having a finely tuned palate and nose to evaluate the wines evolution 

• Choosing the right bottle-type

• Choosing the bottle’s label to best express the wine, the wine maker and the winery

So, while science provides the foundation for wine making, it’s the many artistic decisions that make each bottle unique. We’ll look further in to each of these in future blogs. Cheers!