This Wine Wednesday, let’s continue with what differentiates a good wine from a great wine.

#1 – TERROIR

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#2 – THE AGE OF THE VINES

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#3 – YIELD OF THE VINE

Vine Yield: The total production of a vine. This is sometimes regulated by the region; however, it can also be up to the grower.

Generally speaking, less grapes  = better wine

Do you see how these are all tying in together?

• We learned in Part One of this series: less yield = less wine = higher prices.
• We learned in Part Two of this series that when there are a smaller number of grapes on a vine the results are  more flavorful, concentrated grapes. This is often the case with older vines.

However, there is a practice known as “dropping fruit” that growers and winemakers use which also reduces the amount of grapes a vine will yield. They do this knowing that the fruit that remains on the vine will increase in flavor intensity, despite the fact that this means less wine and less revenue. Growers that leave as many grapes on the vine as possible are generally more concerned about how much wine is sold rather than the quality.

But I prefer Quality over Quantity.

Again, how do you know how many grapes remain on a vine? There is no way to tell by looking at a bottle. However, if you want to be sure to experience these kinds of wines, you can always do some research online on particular growers who deliberately reduce their yields. Just be prepared to pay higher prices. {Hint: It’s usually worth it!}

Cheers!

Carrie