Rain-Affect and Effect
01/31/2010 Post By: Jesse Inman
With the weather the way it has been, I thought it would be a good idea to write about rainfall (excess or abundance) and how it affects grapes/vines. People come and ask me constantly, "Is all this rain bad for the vines? What will it do to them?" Well….
Climate: We have, for the most part, a Mediterranean type climate. This means we get 70% + of our rain in the winter/fall months and the high and low temperatures are moderate in fluctuations (A good resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_climate ).
Grapes/Vines: The vines used in winemaking generally are vitus venifera which are comfortable in this climate, and therefore produce best. The vines go dormant during the winter months, and are triggered by temperature in the spring to bud (if we were near the equator, we would get two crops per year-no dormancy). The grapes themselves are affected most by the weather during the period when they are maturing. The conditions that take place during the dormant season can affect the yield (ton of grapes per acre), which has a dramatic effect on quality, if not managed properly by the vineyard’s caretaker. Too little rain will stress the vine in the opposite manner, and create a lack of fruit. Low crop levels can be beneficial, but only to a certain degree. Rain, excess cold, frost, etc. during the blooming of the grapes (each berry has its own flower) can all affect the grapes in different ways.
This is a lot to comprehend, so if there are any questions pertaining to the general explanations given, please do not hesitate to ask.
Comments
Meghan@traveleatlove - 01/31/2010
http://traveleatlove.com
Thanks for a simple, straightforward explanation!