The Challenge of Planting a Vineyard

It takes at least three years to for a grape vine to begin producing fruit. The planting site must be carefully chosen, the vine planted at just the right depth and at just the right time of year, the soil cultivated to maintain an ideal pH level. Once growth begins, the vinedresser must follow specific trellis and pruning regiments. Diseases, mildew, invasive weeds, and pests must be vigilantly kept at bay. In other words, cultivating a vineyard is not an amateur hobby. It is a tedious, costly, and time-consuming labor of love, reserved only for those who are…