De-budding Grapevines and Fruit of Our Labour
It’s July and the ‘Ebourgeonnage’ (de-budding) is in full swing here at the domaine! Throughout this process, the viticulturist and team select the branches that will help to produce the best quality grapes and cut off the others. This helps control the grape yield, enables the canopy to develop uniformly, and also prevents overcrowding which can lead to the spread of harmful fungal diseases. The cut branches are dropped to the ground and provide a natural form of fertilizer. Continue reading here for the original contributor blog post by: Maison Mirabeau Wine.
Pruning: Out with the Old
In wintertime, the grapevines in Provence’s vineyards look a little sad.
The pruning looks severe, but we know that grapes grow on one-year-old wood. Buds on older branches just yield leaves or shoots. So, we get rid of the old branches so we can get fruit on every branch in the next growing season.
Another pruning takes place during veraison (fruit ripening period) in the summer. This is where the grape bunches are thinned out so that all of the bunches will be well-nourished (and not exhaust the vine), and so they won’t be too crowded together, allowing air to move freely around them and keep them healthy. Read more about the importance of pruning grapevines here and here.
The ABC’s of wine! Want to sound like an expert? Read this post to find out about ageing, barrels, corks, decanting, grapes, fun facts and much, much more. For example, Oenology is the science of winemaking and a Refractometer is a tool used by experts to determine the amount of sugar in the grapes.
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