The relation between Grape Growing and Wine Making

The relation between Grape Growing and Wine Making

Any wine connoisseur would agree that wine cannot be made by any grapes. To get the perfect wine you need to have the perfect grapes too. Wine making and grape growing are linked. The wine becomes more delectable as the grapes have a higher quality. In the event that you are looking for gaining high quality wine you should start with the beginning of the vineyard.



Exactly as with real estate, grape growing is influenced by location. Maximum sunlight exposure will help grapevines in producing more sugar so that it is fermented faster during wine makings. The sunlight should fall on both sides of the grapevine and not be concentrated to one part of the vine.



Soil stands out as the second factor that has to be considered. The part that is the most amazing is that you do not necessarily need a fertile and rich in nutrients soil to produce good wine. Any soil deficient in nutrients is to offer small grapes and they are not that great in producing wine at times. If you want to prevent root rott then you need to drain the soil. When the soil does not have any nutrients you can use compost.



While planning plantation layout you should always keep a plant away from another at a distance of 6 feet minimum with 8 feet of distance between rows. In most cases you will gain around 1 gallon of wine with every vine. When planning how many vines to plant keeping in mind the wine output, always plant a few extra vines to cater for loss due to insects, diseases etc.



All grapevines are capable of growing and covering a lot of space. For the best possible output the wines have to grow upwards and you can control this with the use of different possible supports. Large holes can be dug so that better soil drainage is gained and excess water will not affect roots.



In the first planting year you need to pick strong vine and secure it without using wires but strings. Wires can harm your tender vine greatly. Chop off all the balance shoots and leave behind only the strongest one. Choose to prune your vines in winters when the plant is still dormant. Repeat the same process the next year too of selecting the strongest vine and cutting the rest. If you prune for around 3 years you will gain a really strong plant structure.



Keep a hydrometer with you. You may purchase it from any shop that retails wine making accessories. A hydrometer would help you access the specific gravity of the juice of the grapes. Ideally we can say that specific gravity needs to be around 1.095 to 1.105 to analyze the correct time for harvesting the grapes.



Though time consuming grape growing and wine making can be immensely self satisfying and gratifying. If you want to build a successful enterprise you will need to learn as much as possible about wine making and grape growing.