The process of winemaking begins in the vineyard. The harmonious combination of our climate, soil and grape varieties decisively characterizes the quality of our future wines.
For optimal cultivation of vines there are climatic and human factors that affect it.
Climatic factors change with each growing season, ie each year. The combination of climatic conditions which give rise to differences in "vintages".
The mans hand also acts to regulate other factors such as the conduction system (operations that define the distribution of plant leaves and clusters), pruning, soil enrichment and treatments for diseases of the vine.
The vine is a plant with a characteristic cycle of temperate zones, starting with the spring to conclude with the leaf fall in autumn. In all phases, which subsequently summarize, the most important quality is our grapes ripening.
For working in Viña Ruda respect the life cycle of the plant, but also perfected their cultivation through a series of field practices, including pruning is included. The vine, being a tree and plant unlimited growth needs to be controlled, suitable to the needs of the grower. Thus obtaining a healthy fruit, mature and quality is ensured.
The phases of the life cycle of the vine summarized from seven steps.
- First Phase. The DORMANT. This phase is observed in early fall and throughout the winter. The plant takes a woody aspect, since there are no leaves or any vegetable green structure. The cause is the soil temperature, and that does not favor the absorption of nutrients from the roots. At the end of this phase, vine weeping occurs. This means that the plant begins operation, driving a colorless liquid pruning cuts.
- Second Stage. Fettle. This phase occurs in late winter and early first. The plant begins to "wake up" the winter as buds begin to swell. These swellings or "delete" are produced by increasing the soil temperature helps absorption functions of the plant roots.
- Third Phase. Sprouting. Spring comes to the vine, slowly transforming the structure of the plant. The first leaves begin to develop, and later detected clusters. The spring temperatures and rain typical of this season collaborate to develop the plant.
- Fourth Phase. Flowering and fruit. During the spring, the flowers of the vine develop and begin to pollinate. The first fruits are small berries, shape and size of a pea.
- Fifth Phase. Veraison. This is one of the most important phases of the cycle, as it is the onset of ripening, coinciding with the beginning of summer. This process takes about 15 days, in which the fruit begins to resize and then color. In white grapes changes from green to yellow, while red grapes from green to purplish.
- Sixth Phase. Maturation. This process is the most important period because it determines the quality of the harvest. It occurs from mid-summer to early fall. It grape continually enlarged, it loses the acidity and accumulates sugar. At the end of the ripening Harvest or harvesting of the fruit it is produced.
- Seventh Stage. Leaf fall. At this stage, the leaves no longer have had the intense activity in spring and summer, taking a brown color.
As we have seen, the weather conditions are a major cause of changes that occur in the plant throughout the year. The weather is not an exact science and, therefore, many are rare phenomena that may occur ... but this is another issue to be addressed.
