Fall Leaves

Monday | 09 November 2009
It’s a popular idea that a grapevine’s general health or its ability to bear fruit can be seen during the growing months. During those months, we are awed by the strength of budbreak, by early growth spurts, or by deep colors of green - these things usually make us glow warm with thoughts that bloom was successful or that fruit set was strong.

If you really want to know, though, whether your beloved plants are as strong as you think you should be looking at them now when the temperatures are dropping! Here in the Applegate, it feels that fall ended on Sunday and winter began today.  The cold is colder and the wind is blowing. We are pleased that the vineyard hung onto its leaves through fall. If a vineyard was overly burdened by water, climate or crop conditions, it might drop its leaves at the first hint of frost, or sometimes even before the fruit has been picked.

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When the leaves remain long after harvest, the plants are able to recover from the reproductive cycle of the previous months. Specifically, having leaves means that the plants are still metabolizing, or in a manner of speaking, are able to refresh themselves after the labor of producing a very beautiful wine grape. It’s very much like a bear eating a big meal before hibernating. I mean, really, who wants to go to bed hungry? Anyway, back to the grapes, it is good for them to refresh their carbohydrate stores for the long winter.  They will burst with more vigor next spring, giving me that warm glow mentioned above!
– Barbara Steele

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