The grape crop looks plentiful this year. Must have been the warm, wet spring we had. It makes me think that the growers might do
un vendange en vert (green harvest) as the grapes start to mature. If there are too many grapes on the vines, there is not enough energy in the plant to allow them all to mature they way the grower intends, so some of the grapes are removed from the vine. The remaining grapes can then develop the appropriate levels of sugar and water to make a good wine.
Looking good! These leaves look like this could be gamay, a red wine grape common in our area.
In certain
appellations, the grape yield is regulated. If there are too many grapes per
hectare (a measure of land area equivalent to 10,000 m
2 or about 2.5 acres), some of them must go. Grape growing is almost, if not more, as complicated as wine making!
So interesting. I never knew this.
ReplyDeleteYou mean the amount a farmer harvests is determined by his quantity of hectares? That's incredible.
ReplyDeletePlease show us the black tomatoes! I'm anxious to learn more about the variety. I've never heard of them!
Last night was miserable for my cat I had heard on the local news that because our city was foregoing fireworks the stands were reporting record sales. It showed. About 7:30 pm the noise started and didn't stop until after 10. It is always difficult to watch one's terrified animals.
Our holly trees are loaded this year- good for Christmas arrangements and the birds.
ReplyDeleteAll the wine books I've read suggest one almost has to have ESP to know when to snip/prune etc. I suppose this comes with experience.
ReplyDeletethose grapes look ready to eat.
ReplyDeletethickethouse, me neither, until I lived next to a vineyard.
ReplyDeletemary, it's more the amount of grapes per hectare. And black tomatoes on Monday!
evelyn, cool!
michael, I think it's more than that, but don't ask me to explain!
anne marie, they still need to get a little plumper and turn red. September-early October.
Always fascinating. I wonder what can be done, if anything, with those unripened grapes. I guess I'll have to do some readin.g
ReplyDelete