Printmaker Karen Gearhart-Jensen’s first grape leaf pressing was of Grenache Blanc leaves in April 2014, followed by this exploration of Roussanne much later in the growing season.
LEAF LOVE: Roussanne
Veraison
TIME LAPSE: Veraison
Veraison, pronounced “ver-AY-zhun”, is a French term that is used to describe the the onset of ripening, signaled by a change in color of the grapes. Veraison represents the transition from fruit growth to fruit ripening. Many changes in berry development happen during veraison, some very visible, as you can see in this time lapse video. Others are happening inside the grape berries, such as increased sugar levels.
Protecting Grapes From Birds With Netting
As fruit ripens, a walk in the vineyard with winegrower Michael Larner led to an interesting discovery and we learned how vineyards use netting to protect their precious crop from birds. To explore this further, we visited Riverbench Vineyard to see the crew applying the netting to their vines.
Michael Larner Explains Veraison As A Survival Mechanism
Winegrower Michael Larner explains a survival mechanism that wine grapes have developed to advertise their sugar levels to birds and other animals.
UP CLOSE: Grape Vine Tendrils
In the plant world, a tendril is a thin stem or leaf with a thread-like shape that climbing plants, such as the grape vine, use for support and attachment. Ancient vines twined tendrils around trees, whereas today they grow around intricate trellis systems in the vineyard. These tendrils have the ability to perform photosynthesis. Continue reading