Journal | March 22, 2020
Hardscrabble Journal
Virgin Harvest for Cabernet Franc
Linden’s new planting of Cabernet Franc is now pruned and ready for its first year of production. Winegrowers call this the virgin harvest. For the first several years of a new planting we remove all the emerging grape clusters so that the vine puts its energy into establishing a strong root system and trunk. Now in its third year, these vines are established enough to yield a small quantity of grapes.
When mature, each of these vines will produce about 4 pounds of grapes. This year we will keep the yield down to about one pound. The three ways we accomplish this are by severe pruning, shoot removal, and cluster removal.
I’ve found over the years that young vines need to be pruned ruthlessly in order to establish a good foundation. In my younger days I was anxious to get as many grapes as possible. I paid for it later through painful, extensive, remedial pruning and vine re-training.
In May, the vines will push out an excessive number of tender shoots. We’ll go vine to vine hand removing many of these shoots This is called shoot thinning. This year we will leave about four shoots per vine: two strategically placed shoots on each side of the head of the vine.
Each shoot typically carries two clusters. In June we will pinch some of the clusters off. This is called cluster thinning. The total number we leave depends on the perceived capacity of the vine and vigor of each individual shoot. With strong shoots both clusters will remain, average shoots may carry one cluster and weak shoots will be without clusters.
This is a very exciting year for this block of Cabernet Franc. We get the first glimpse of the personality and habits of the vineyard. Just as exciting, in the fall we get to taste the first wine after five years of planning, planting, and tending.
Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal: March 22, 2020