The cycle of the vine: a journey from the earth to the grape

The vine, both a perennial plant and a fruit tree, follows a rigorous annual cycle. Starting from a simple cutting, it grows, survives the seasons, and reaches full maturity, ready to offer its precious fruits.

THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS OF THE VINE

Light above all! While sunlight isn't essential, daylight is enough for it to thrive. Its ideal temperature balance is between 10°C and 25°C. Above 28°C, evaporation accelerates, the leaves wilt, and its growth stops. Conversely, extreme cold immobilizes it.

Water, meanwhile, must be provided sparingly – 500 to 700 mm per year. A climate that's too humid? Beware of disease and waterlogged berries that risk bursting! Wind and rain also disrupt flowering, weakening the harvest.

THE HEART OF THE VINEYARD: THE VINE

Composed of several organs, the vine shelters the fruiting branches that emerge from the pruning wood. They bear leaves, buds, tendrils and inflorescences. In summer, their color changes from green to brown in a process called "hardening," signaling their transformation into vine shoots.

THE LEAVES: SIGNATURE OF THE VARIETIES

Arranged alternately on the nodes, they display an incredible diversity of shapes: lobes, teeth, down (villus), pigmentation... Real genetic fingerprints allowing each grape variety to be identified!

SPRING AWAKENING: BUD BREAK

As winter draws to a close, buds awaken. Sap begins to rise again, awakening branches and leaves.

PROMPT BUD VS LATENT BUD

The prompt bud blooms in its first year of formation, producing small shoots called intercoastal buds. In contrast, the latent bud waits until the following year to become a fruiting branch, directly influencing the future harvest.

FLOWERING: THE KEY MOMENT

Future grape clusters are located at the base of the branches. Depending on the grape variety and environment, each inflorescence can bear from one hundred to several thousand flowers. This stage, which occurs 5 to 10 weeks after bud break, is crucial for production.

FRUIT SETTING: THE MAGICAL TRANSFORMATION

In midsummer, the fertilized flowers transform into berries. This turning point determines the volume of the future harvest.

GROWTH AND VERAISON: THE RIPENING OF THE GRAPES

Berry growth follows four phases:

1. Slow start (20 days).
2. Acceleration.
3. Slow-down.
4. Veraison: the red berries take on color, and sugars accumulate. This signals the start of ripening, which determines the harvest date based on the desired wine.

DORMANCY: THE WINTER OF THE VINE

In autumn, the fall of the leaves marks the entry into dormancy. The annual cycle closes, preparing the vine for a new rebirth the following spring.