# worked with grape vines for the first time



## lieu (Jul 26, 2011)

Hey Guys,
I dont really know if this is the place for this thread or not but I guess it makes sense to put it here. Just a little history here. My Primary care doc. and I have talked about grapes and wine for the past few times I have seen her. I knew that she had vines because she lives near the farm that I work for part time and I had seen her in her yard. I told her a few times that if she needed any help to give me a call. Well it wasnt until my wife had a check-up and said to her "will you please call my husband so he'll stop talking about it." 
Well she did call me the other day and I went down and helped out in the vineyard for the first time. WOW is there alot to it. The only thing I did was cut the tendrals (spelling). The woman I was working with was working behind me putting the vines between the wires and doing some clipping herself. I am really excited about the idea of being able to help out in the vineyard and learn.
I dont really know too much about the vineyard but what I do know is there is 2 acres of vines. They have Merlot,Cab Franc,and Tempranillo vines.
I would like to keep you all updated if your interested as I am very excited.-Bruce


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## Wade E (Jul 26, 2011)

Surely keep us updated. Its everyone heres dream minus all the work!!! I myself want a vineyard like Riches but also have Rich to do the work. What price Rich? Hehehe


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## grapeman (Jul 27, 2011)

What a nice lady to let you come and help out. You can have fun without all the headaches. I'm still trying to get my Dr to come visit the tasting room at mine!


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## Bert (Aug 2, 2011)

lieu; please post all you can...I for one dream about a vine yard or at least making wine from my own grapes....may never happen, but love to learn about grapes, grapevines and vineyards...I follow what Appleman, Al and others post on the subject...DREAM ON I guess


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## lieu (Aug 14, 2011)

A litttle update. I have been going to the vinard as much as I can. ( 1 to 2 times a week ). 
We are just getting into the potato harvest so have been busy getting ready for that. (thats at the farm that I work at part time althought it seems full time from now till nov.) so I havent had all that much time to spend at the vinyard.
When I was there yesterday we were cutting tendrals, and trying to get the vines under control. We were also cutting some leaves near the clusters so they could get more sunlight. I cant believe all that goes into vines. 
I will try and get some pictures up as soon as I can.





Bruce


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## grapeman (Aug 14, 2011)

By cutting tendrals I suspect you mean you were removing summer laterals as those are the sideshoots that develop at each leaf later in the summer when the vines are too vigorous. The tendrils are the little curly things opposite the leaves and are there to secure the shoots to anything they can. I can't imagine removing all those little things. Also it is much quicker to just pull the leaves snapping them off at the petiole junction on the shoots. The idea there is to open up the foliage to let a bit of sunlight in and to make the foliage less dense.


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## lieu (Aug 15, 2011)

Hey appleman,
yup those are the things I have been cutting. I have not been cutting all of them. We are trying to get the remainder of the shoots that are not in the top wire through the wire so I am just cutting the ones that I need to to be able to work the vines up through the wire.. And now we are also trying to get the foilage less dense like you stated.
There are so many vines and with only one person working there for a majority of the time I think they are a little behind where they would like to be. The owners get out there as much as possible but both have full time jobs.


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## lieu (Sep 3, 2011)

I finally remembered my camara. 

These are the vines I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to "play" with. I started late in the season but hopefully next year I can Get the whole season in. I have learned so much but I am quite sure what I have learned is only the tip of the ice berg. 














These are some of the Merlot vines and grapes












and these are some of the Cab Franc vines and grapes.( A little behind the Merlot)

Hopefully I can get some of the Tempranillo (spelling) the next time I am there


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## ibglowin (Sep 4, 2011)

Bruce, where are you exactly! Those vines look amazing!


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## lieu (Sep 4, 2011)

Mike,
I am in southern Rhode Island.


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