Appears in
Oxford Companion to Wine

By Jancis Robinson

Published 2006

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pedicel, the stalk of an individual flower which, on a bunch of grapes, becomes the short stem bearing each berry. Its length varies with vine variety, from 5 to 15 mm (0.5 in), and its diameter varies with variety and berry size. After flowering, pedicels are liable to develop a separation layer at their base causing the flower to drop; the remainder adhere and can develop into berries (as in fruit set). When berries of certain vine varieties ripen, the pedicels may develop a corky abscission at their top, at the junction with the berry. If this does not happen, then pulling off the berry tears the skin and leaves behind a chunk of pulp on the end of the pedicel that is called the brush.