From Vines to Wines: The Complete Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Your Own Wine

290 Pages·1999·6.69 MB·English

From VINES to WINES
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO GROWING GRAPES AND
MAKING YOUR OWN WINE
Jeff Cox
Foreword by Tim Mondavi
The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.
Edited by Julia Rubel and Nancy Ringer
Cover design by Cynthia McFarland
Cover photograph © Philip Wallick, Jon Gnass Photo Images
Text design by Mark Tomasi
Production by Erin Lincourt
Line drawings by Alison Kolesar (based on original illustrations by the author),
except pages 218 and 219, by the author
Indexed by Hagerty & Holloway
© 1999 by Jeff Cox
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher,
except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate
credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other — without written permission
from the publisher.
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our
knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the
author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in
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contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.
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Printed in the United States by Versa Press
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cox, Jeff, 1940–
From vines to wines : the complete guide to growing grapes & making your
own wine / Jeff Cox. — 3rd. ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-58017-105-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Viticulture. 2. Wine and wine making. 3. Viticulture — United States. I.
Title.
SB389.C69 1999
634.8 — dc21
98-39860
CIP
DEDICATION
For Susanna
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The role of the author of a book like this one is to be a synthesizer and
coordinator of knowledge — most of it developed or discovered by other people.
I would like to thank the following people personally:
Jack Hudders, for getting me interested in wine. Bob Teufel and Mike
Michaelson, for fomenting that interest over the years. Tom Jacobsen and Tim
White, who kindly offered to read the manuscript with their experts’ eyes.
Friends in the Napa Valley who took me in: Gary Wu of Beaulieu Vineyards;
the Kresge family; Peter Forni; the Triglia family; Arnold Tudal; Theo
Rosenbrand of Sterling Vineyards; Tobey of Wine & The People in Berkeley;
Tom Cottrell and Bob Pool of the New York State Agricultural Experiment
Station in Geneva; Dr. Konstantin Frank; all the folks at Sakonnet Vineyards in
Rhode Island; and Dr. John McGrew of the USDA.
And most special thanks to Joe Swan, Randall Grahm, Darrell Corti, Tom
Dehlinger, Forrest Tancer, and Bernard Portet, who have taught me so much
about wine and winemaking.
— J.C.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Foreword by Tim Mondavi
Introduction
Making Wine
Part 1: Selecting the Vines
The Context of Winemaking
The Origin of Classic Wine Grapes
A Self-Education in Wine
Climate and Geography Affect Choice of Wines
Identifying Wine-Growing Areas
Part 2: Growing the Grapes
Parts of the Grapevine
Choosing a Vineyard Size and Site
Finding a Favorable Site
Vineyard Soil and Grape Quality
Other Site Considerations
Grape Trellises
Hardware for Constructing a Trellis
Construction Directions
Ordering and Planting Grapestock
Managing Vineyard Rows and Aisles
How to Prune Grapes
Grapevine Pruning Illustrated
Cluster Thinning
Trellis Systems Illustrated
Pest Control Strategies
Fertilization
Tending Grape Crops
Determining Ripeness
Harvesting Botrytized Grapes
Weather as a Harvest Factor
Harvesting
Part 3: Making the Wine
Making Consistently Fine Wine
The Primary Fermentation
The Secondary Fermentation
Further Racking and Aging
Wine Disorders
Filtering
Fining
Blending
Final Measurements Before Bottling
Bottling
Corking
Labeling
Cellaring the Wine
Wine Accoutrements
Sensory Evaluation of Wine
Appendix 1. The Home Winemaker’s Record Book
Appendix 2. For More Information
Appendix 3. Sources of Supplies
Appendix 4. Sources for Grapevines
Appendix 5. Grape Pests and Their Controls
Index
TABLES
1. An Overview
2. Recommended Wine Grapes for U.S. Regions
3. Heat Summations at Various Towns and Cities in California by Climatic
Regions
4. Vinifera in California — Habits and Regional Suitability
5. Superior Wine Grapes for California’s Hot Regions
6. Index of Sunlight Received by Various Slopes (45° North Latitude)
7. Index of Sunlight Received at Various Latitudes (15° Slope)
8. Soil Types in Wine Regions of France
9. Growing Seasons (Number of days of average daily temperature over 50°F
[10°C])
10. Trellising Systems
11. Balanced Pruning for Mature Vines in Eastern and Northern Regions
12. Leaf Deficiency Symptoms of Four Trace Elements Important to Quality
Grape Production
13. Hydrometer Readings/Brix Equivalents
14. Correcting Hydrometer Readings Based on Temperature
15. pH Effect on Sulfite Additions
16. Figuring Sugar Adjustment
17. Optimum Serving Temperatures
FOREWORD
I congratulate Jeff on this important book. Having a good understanding of the
basics of wine gives rise to a better appreciation of those subtle nuances one
discovers when enjoying it. There are myriad details and much hard work that
ultimately unite to make wine the most delicious and pleasurable of beverages.
From Vines to Wines helps provide you with the knowledge you need to become
a winegrower in the best sense of the word.
I have always used the term winegrower rather than winemaker because it
better expresses my belief that the personality of great wine is a manifestation of
its terroir — the distinct soil, climate, and people involved in the process. The
love of wine is inextricably linked to a respect for the land and what it brings us.
Wine is grown, and we meticulously cultivate our vineyards in order to ensure
that eventually there is a clear sense of place in the glass. The terroir provides
the character potential for the wine, the vintage provides a unique personality,
and we then interpret those distinctions in our own style.
I have always been a great believer of research, so that we can continue to
gain valuable insight into farming practices that help us produce wines of
concentration, elegance, and rich varietal character. For example, we have
learned volumes from preserving our old vines, many of which are still
producing exceptional wines of great depth and complexity. We have learned
that high-density planting produces richer, more flavorful wines. We carefully
match clones and rootstocks to specific soils and climates. We know that gentle
handling throughout the entire process is vitally important. Finally, our belief in
sustainable farming affects everything we do — as we are committed to being
stewards of the land so that it remains rich and healthy for many generations to
come.
The intrigue of wine is unlimited. As a winegrower, I have the great pleasure
to observe the varied moods of a single wine in its lifetime — on the vine, in the
fermenter, during its aging in barrel and in bottle, and in a glass throughout the
course of a meal. With frequent tastings, we can see through these changes in the
wine’s mood (as well as our own) and understand its exciting potential.
This is the joy of wine. May it continue to bring grace to your table and zest
to your life.
— TIM MONDAVI, Winegrower
Robert Mondavi Winery