So far in our Grape to Glass series, we’ve covered rootstock and bud break, the first two segments in the lifecycle of the magical winemaking grape. Now, it’s time for a couple more exciting stages: flowering and fruit set.

We created the graphic below to help explain each step of the winemaking process, from grape to glass. Each season, we’ll present a different step in the process, so stay tuned for more!

Flowering

Depending on the climate and grape type, flowering typically happens a little more than two months after bud break. During this time, you’ll see tiny flower clusters appear on the vine. Once the grape flowers are pollinated, grape berries start to form.

During flowering, the buds that will become next year’s crops also begin to form.

Fruit Set

Shortly after flowering occurs, it’s time for fruit set. This is when the fertilized flower develops a seed and berry to protect the seed. If the flowers were fertilized, they will grow into berries. If they weren’t, they’ll fall off the vine.

This is the time when the cells of the berries are dividing quickly – the more cells that develop, the bigger berries your vine will grow.

Need to catch up on our past Grape to Glass installments? Find them on our blog here:

Grape to Glass: Rootstock

Grape to Glass: Bud Break