Archive for September, 2009

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Stan T. Little asked:


Even having a good vineyard involves lot of careful planning and selection of the right location to harvest a good crop every season. The main purpose of having vineyards is to produce grapes, which can be largely used for making wines during the harvest season. Proper care and maintenance of the vineyard is also an important factor in ensuring a good harvest of grapes.

Another important activity that is very essential in case of vineyards is regular pruning of grape vines to get a better output. The primary task involved in ensuring success in grape cultivation is the choice of a good vineyard location, which can influence the quality of the grapes which is produced. There are different varieties of grapes which requires specific soil and climatic conditions to grow excellent quality of grapes. Besides, the kind of climate in different regions also has a bearing on the kind of output that is produced in the vineyards.

Factors to consider for growing vineyard grapes

Apart from the general influence of the weather, soil and the surroundings, another factor which plays a vital role in growing good vineyard grapes is the presence of sunlight. It is necessary that the vineyard must be located in a strategic location that gets ample sunlight throughout the day. Besides the presence of birds, deers, rabbits and other animals may cause harm to the vineyard grapes which need to be kept in mind while choosing the vineyard location.

You also need to consider the growing habit and variety of grapevine which you are planning to grow, keeping the space requirements in mind. Vineyard grapes have a tendency to grow and spread everywhere, which needs to be pruned and trained to avoid less damage to the crop. Both hot and cold climates tend to have an influence on the growth of vineyard grapes, which require proper care and maintenance throughout the year.

Providing seasonal care for your vineyard grapes

Vineyard grapes require great care throughout the year and especially more during the spring and the summer months. Spring is a good time if you want to make a grape trellis and put new wires and posts to see that your grape vines get a solid support. Rusted wires pose a risk to the grape vines as they can snap easily so it is necessary to inspect the wires properly and replace them with new ones as required.

If you find any old vines which have stopped producing vineyard grapes, then it is time to plant a new one using one of the small vines by tying it with a string. You can tie the string to the high wire so that it grows into a larger plant in the future.



Caffeinated Content
Robby S asked:

I am turning 21 this November, and while this means I don’t have a long history with or knowledge of wine consumption and storage, I have greatly enjoyed the few glasses I’ve had with family friends and relatives over the past few years. Because I am not a huge partier, I’d like to commemorate my turning 21 by purchasing a bottle of wine (preferably red) on that day, then save it for a few years to finally open on another birthday. I have no specific plan, I just like the idea of buying a bottle of wine on my 21st and drinking it on some future birthday, as soon as the next year or as late as 50.
Being only 20 I obviously don’t have the grandest budget for this, but I was hoping someone would have a few bottles or vintages I should look into–or just a particular type of wine that is always likely to improve with moderate aging.
Thanks so much!