It’s been 12 years now since we planted these vines. They have grown and prospered in the dry Arizona soil. There is plenty of sunlight to produce sugar, although at the expense of lower acidity.
I chose to plant Barbera due to it’s ability to retain acidity in hot climates. Winegrapes need a certain amount of acid to balance the sugar and give a vibrant taste. Otherwise, the wine tastes flat.

More photos are posted under the Vineyard category.

If you’re interested in growing grapes in a desert climate, you might want to check out Desert Wine Grape Viticulture3Desert Wine Grape Viticulture_4. This is written for the layman and covers the basics. For greater detail, I recommend “General Viticulture” by Winkler, et al, 1974. It’s written for California growers, but is still one of the best references around.