Cordon

A permanent woody arm that is trained horizontally from the trunk of the vine. The cordon will support the SHOOTS and grape clusters.

Spain has had the greatest influence on Chile’s wine industry.

Answer: False.

Arguably, it is not Spain that has had the most influence on Chile's wines, but France. In the mid-1800s, rich Chilean landowners and mining barons showcased their wealth by building wine estates modeled after Bordeaux châteaux (after all, Bordeaux was the wine superpower of the era, especially after the 1855 Classification). The Chileans planted vineyards with imported French grapes, most notably cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and carménère. Whenever possible, Chileans hired French winemakers, who, by the latter part of the century, were easy to lure from their homeland thanks to the deadly insect phylloxera which had begun to sweep its way through France and much of the Old World.

Veraison

Veraison (ver-AY-zhun) is happening right now all over California. It’s the time in a vine’s growing cycle when grape berries begin to soften and change color. “White” grapes go from green to yellowish, and red… Continue reading

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