Wine Wednesday: Behind the Vines

Welcome to our Wine Wednesday Blog, where we will be taking you backstage at The Vineyard at Grandview! Whether you want to learn where the grape come from, why our winemaker selected his profession, what challenges a specific vintage brought, or what wines go with your favorite foods, you’ll want to stay tuned and check our blog every Wednesday!

The first Wednesday of every month, we will be taking you behind the vines to guide you through the life cycle of a grape. So roll up your sleeves, be prepared to get your hands dirty, and enjoy all things ‘grape’.

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Harvest and Winemaking

Currently we are in harvest time, which is an incredibly special time for our winery. The season generally starts in early September and extends into mid to end of October. Each type of grape ripens at a different time and is then hand picked with precision and care. The time of harvest is determined primarily by testing the levels of sugar and acidity, but also by taste. Mother Nature plays a large roll in timetable for harvest and can often determine a good harvest from a poor one – sun, temperature, and rain all playing a roll. Sun and heat will ripen grapes, cold evenings will slow down the process, and lots of rain in August and September can cause the grapes to become diluted and even rot!

After the grapes are picked, each type of grape will go through a different process, depending upon what type of wine we are making. For example, dry red wine varieties take the longest while the sweet wine process is much faster.

To help you visualize the process better, here is step by step example of the wine making process.