The Anatomy of a Grapevine

The first joie d'écrire is the anatomy of a grapevine. 

Wine is made from grapes and we have all seen a grape, but have you looked at a grapevine?

Viticulture is a science of grape cultivation and is as important as Vinification (wine-making process). And the basic here is to have a fair idea of how a grapevine looks. All vines have a similar structure, the following are the explanations to the terms used in the picture.

Vine Canopy - It includes every part of the vine visible above ground - trunk, shoots, leaves, fruit bunch, etc.

Rootstock - Rooy system to absorb nutrients and water from the soil. They also anchor the vine.

Graft - A technique of grafting is when a vine is fixed over a stronger rootstock that can resist diseases

Scion - It is the upper part of the plant placed over sturdy rootstock

Trunk - The permanent stem that supports the vegetative and reproductive structure of the vine

Head - The part of the vine where the trunk is split into cordons

Cordon - Arms of the grapevine that extend from the trunk

Shoots - Shoots are the primary part of the vine growth consists of leaves, tendrils and fruit. It is the main focus of viticulture.

Spur - Each year, new canes that have grown along the permanent cordon are cut back to a small shoot containing two buds, known as a spur.

Bud - Along the length of the cane, there are several bumps called buds or nodes. At each of them, there will be a leaf and a flower or leaf and a tendril

Tendril - Vines support themselves with tendrils to stay upright

Leaf - As in all plants, it helps sustain the vine. It's responsible for photosynthesis - a process where plants use chlorophyll and sun energy to convert water and CO2 to sugar glucose and oxygen

Grape bunches - A vine flowers are hermaphrodite - they have both male and female parts. The flowers are in bunches called inflorescences. Each flower that is successfully pollinated will become a grape berry and the inflorescence will become a grape bunch

Sucker - They are small shoots, the grapevine trunk puts out in spring. These shoots pull energy, water, and nutrients away from the main plant and need to be removed.

Isn't the grapevine fascinating! Hope you liked the info, follow us on Instagram and Facebook to have future updates on interesting wine knowledge. Join Us!