The wine year
A look at the work of the wine-grower
There are no holidays in a vineyard. There is something to do all year.
The vines are pruned after the first frost, to remove the old wood. The winegrower decides on the number and length of the vines. This forms the basis for the production of next season's quality wine. In spring, the winegrower begins with bending and tying the vines to ensure that the buds are uniformly supplied with nutrients.
Tilling the soil helps to encourage soil organisms. Lost nutrients are replenished by adding organic (manure, straw, compost) or mineral fertilizers to the soil. The nutrient requirements are measured exactly in soil samples to prevent groundwater contamination
Crop protection begins with selecting the right planting material. By choosing healthy plants, the winegrower can avoid diseases and damage to the vine right from the beginning. About 5 8 applications are necessary during the vegetation period to maintain the health of the grapes.
Canopy management begins after flowering: shoots are removed to promote growth of the desired shoots. These are then tied to "bring them into form". The canopy should be thin and light to reduce shading and facilitate drying of the plant. Green harvesting (removal of unripe clusters) diverts all the strength of the plant to the remaining berries and improves their quality.
Working in the wine cellar
Once the grapes are harvested they are crushed in a wine press. The juice is left to rest until the solids have sunk to the bottom (sedimentation). The wine is fermented for 3- 4 weeks in barrels, after which the wine is separated from the yeast. Now the wine is stored for 3 4 weeks where any additional fermentation can take place. Then the wine is filtered.
The young wines are normally bottled between March and May. Then the wine is be stored for 6 8 weeks before being sold.
Strausswirtschaft
A Strausswirtschaft is a traditional, seasonally opened tavern run by wine-growers. Their purpose is to enable the wine-grower to market his wines directly.
The tradition dates back to 812 AD when Charlemagne allowed the wine-growers to run wine taverns. These had to be distinguished by hanging out a wreath or a bunch of vines.