This morning I had the pleasure of assisting with a vineyard harvest at Wintergrass Vineyard & Winery in Cleburne Texas. Harvest is an exciting time in the vineyard. It marks the start of the busy season when a lot of work must be done quickly while the grapes are at their peak. It’s also a great opportunity for volunteer work. Many vineyards across the state are small enough to be harvested by hand and are always looking for help. And for those who lend a hand, it’s pretty neat to think in a few years you’ll be able to enjoy the wine that began life with your efforts.
The grapes shown in these photos are a Walker variety known as Camminare Noir, developed by Dr. Andrew Walker at UC Davis to be resistant to Pierce’s Disease. PD is a common pressure, particularly in the Southern U.S. Camminare Noir is 94% Vitis vinifera (the most common wine grape species) – a cross of 50% Petite Sirah and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon – along with 19% of the species V. arizonica and V. rupestris which contribute to its PD tolerance.
