Well balanced wines start in the vineyard. Grape vine growing is all about balance! Vigor is very important and refers to the balance of shoots, leaves and grapes. If a vine struggles to grow, it has low vigor and the opposite if leaves and grapes are in abundance, then it has lots of vigor.
If the vine has too much growth with a crowded canopy it might have excessive shade and slow down the ripening of grapes. It might also hinder airflow and cause fungal diseases.
Grapevines, like any other plant, needs nitrogen, especially in spring to jump start the productive cycle. Cover crops play an important role to help fix nitrogen, and when flattened provides much needed nutrients to the ground to support the growth season.
If grape vines have poor growth and pale leaves, the soil might need some nutrients, so it is important to keep and eye on soil balance too.
Measures needs to be taken to manage vigorous vines; this can include leaf removal to help bring the vine back to balance for fruit development later in the season. Vine growth teaches you a lot about balanced pruning methods and learning from the previous season can improve the sustainability of the crop for the next season.
