Do you want to know what happens in the vineyard in the final stretch before the harvest? Because the vineyard does not go on vacation in summer; on the contrary, it undergoes a time of fundamental changes until it reaches maturity. We could say that this is his final sprint. From Familia Martínez Bujanda we reveal these secrets that make a visit to our vineyards at this time of the year an unforgettable experience.
Did you know that this is the season when the vine completes its cycle? Since spring it has been working to grow healthily, taking the necessary nutrients from the soil and taking advantage of the water and the hours of sun and heat. It has sprouted, flowered and put its leaves to work to get the best out of itself -we have been helping it at each stage-, but now comes its last stage before the harvest, which includes three phases: fruit set, veraison and ripening.
The first of these, fruit set, is when the flowers turn into fruit. Both white and red grapes are green at this time, small and very hard. And they grow little by little every day, taking advantage of the heat, which is very important at this stage. Always in search of the quality of the final fruit, green pruning or thinning can be started at this time, which aims to leave the best clusters on the vine and maintain a balance between the fruit and the leaves. The remaining clusters will be the ones that receive nutrients and take advantage of light, heat and water to concentrate their aromas and produce higher quality grapes.
The next phase, veraison, lasts all summer and is one of the most impressive phases of the vineyard. The grapes begin to grow faster, filling with water. As if by magic, they begin to change color: the inks become red and then purple; and the white inks become translucent and beautiful golden colors. Not all grapes change color at the same time, which is why this is such a special time to visit the vineyard with its impressive range of colors. These are key moments when you have to take care of the vineyard, continue with the thinning of the clusters, monitor the health of the grapes, because ripening is underway.
In fact, ripening is the prelude to harvesting and, depending on the grape variety, takes place earlier or later. Some grapes ripen faster, others take longer. With each passing day, sugar levels increase and acidity decreases. The tannins, aromas and other compounds that will make an excellent grape are developed. It is the last phase, so it is good that there is no excess water and that it takes advantage of the reserves it has been accumulating to finish ripening. This phase lasts from August to October, but our winegrowers will be attentive to start the harvest at the right moment of ripening.
We encourage you to visit our estates this summer, and you will be able to see the vineyard in all its splendor. Make an appointment and take part in our wine tourism plans at
Valpiedra Estate
,
Finca Antigua
y
Montepedroso Estate
.
