When spring comes, the body knows it and so do the vines. Rising temperatures cause the dormant sap of the vine to awaken. This resumption of movement leads to the phenomenon known as weeping.
After the vine’s most emotional process, the buds appear. These are the organs of the plant that contain the buds, leaves and future clusters that develop during budding and flowering.
Budding process:
As the name suggests, the budding process is the stage when the first shoots of the vine appear. This process shows us the first leaves of the plant. For this, the bud goes through different stages:
1- Green tip:
This is the first stage. We distinguish it because the bud opens and the first visible flower appears.
2- Initial and expanded leaves:
At this moment we can already visualise the first leaves of the vine together with its own expansion.
3- Visible grapes:
After the expansion of the leaves is complete, the next stage of the bud shows us the future grapes.
4- Separation of grapes and buds:
These stages include the separation of the grapes that were noticeable in the previous stage, along with the various flower buds that are preparing for the next process of the vine: Flowering.
Flowering:
Flowering shows us the blossoms of our fruit. And with it the volume for the next harvest.
Depending on the volume of the future grapes, if they are too big for optimal growth, they are carefully thinned out before ripening.
The flowers are white and small. And these can be affected by bad weather and rain.
This period is also divided into different phases:
1- Beginning of flowering: the flower organs are exposed and white tones begin to be visible on the plant.
2- Full flowering: the flower maturity is already at its peak and prepares the flower for fertilisation.
3- Fruit set: This is the stage where the flower becomes fruit. This process takes 2 to 3 weeks.
From this stage, our precious fruit develops and goes through different grain sizes until it closes.
Once the berry has formed, it suffers a loss of chlorophyll and begins to change colour depending on the variety. The growth of the grape accumulates sugars, loses acidity and maintains all the characteristics of its variety.
In summer, the fruit is harvested. Finally, with the arrival of the cold winter, the leaves fall and the endless cycle of the vineyard begins again.
