« Summer in the Vineyard »

Now that autumn has arrived, it's time to look back at summer (June 20 - September 21, 2019). The following is from my photo essay for Rick VanSickle's "Wines in Niagara" website.

"In our second part, Summer in the Vineyard, Elena takes us through the growing season beginning in June, where the vineyards are bursting with energy and life. Vines can grow as much as two inches per day, according to the Grape Growers of Ontario. As the new canes grow, flowers that resemble miniature grape bunches start to develop. The vine typically enters the bloom period, which, depending on the accumulated heat units, occurs from mid to late June.

"In July, what were once developing flowers on the grapevine have now become bunches of grapes. Growers are busy removing the excess bunches to enhance and ensure premium quality.

"Moving to August, this is a time of grape berry enlargement. To further enhance grape quality, growers remove the vine’s basal leaves to expose the grapes to more sunlight and air movement. This is important to enhance the quality of grapes and to control disease, because exposed grapes dry out sooner and are less susceptible to fungal attack. By the end of August, there is rapid increase in sugar levels in the vines. This is also the beginning of the grape maturation process. White grapes are transformed from a solid to translucent green, while red or blue grapes start to develop skin pigmentation. This process is called veraison. After veraison and as maturation proceeds, sugars increase and total acids start to decrease in the grapes. In some cases, by late August, harvesting begins, especially for sparkling wines."

View the images of Summer

See also Spring