Viticulture

Once there is great soil and the right climate, the next important component in great wine is superlative viticulture. Alder Springs Vineyard takes this task very seriously. All of the employees live on the ranch, so they tend to be the best of the bunch and they stay around long enough to know the ranch as if it belonged to them.

WE TEND OUR VINES 13 TIMES BY HAND (extreme, but superlative)

1. VINE TYING It starts in winter when each vine is tied to the stack and fruiting wire, up to 10 ties per vine.
2. PRUNING Each vine is pruned by hand, with adjustments made based on age and shape, requiring up to 24 or more cuts per vine.
3. SHOOT THINNING Canes per vine are limited to insure good air circulation.
4. SUCKERING Each vine trunk is cleaned of shoots that volunteer each spring.
5. FIRST SHOOT POSITIONING Shoots are moved when they are 6-12 inches long.
6. SECOND SHOOT POSITIONING A second set of wires is placed to secure the shoots.
7. THIRD SHOOT POSITIONING When shoots are 36-42 inches long a final tucking takes place.
8. CROP THINNING The clusters are removed and shoulders are trimmed to limit fruit to 2 to 2.5 pounds per vine.
9. CLUSTER TRIMMING The clusters are bonsaied to the size of a small fist.
10. LEAF PULLING Leaves are removed on the morning sun side of the vine to allow better sunlight on the fruit and better air circulation.
11. GREEN THIN When the grapes turn from hard and green to soft and dark, clusters are removed that are not as ripe as the rest.
12. THE FINAL TOUCH Days before harvest the crew removes berries that are sunburned or drop clusters that just aren’t right. Small fine-pointed scissors are needed for this task.
13. HAND HARVEST Late at night, when it is cold and dark, the crew harvests by hand under bright lights.