Winter is here ! Nature has fallen asleep and yet there is life in the vines! Despite the cold, our winegrowers prepare the future beverage with patience and love.
Why should we prune the vines?
La size is essential, this makes it possible to adjust the vigor of the vine but also tooptimize grape production and promote ideal conditions for fruit ripening.
How should vines be pruned?
Short size or long size? The size differs depending on the type of vine: low or high.
For tall vines, the most common is size in Guyot which is carried out on trellised vines. In this case, the stump consists of a trunk extended by an upper branch and a lower branch.
For low vines this will be goblet pruning. This technique comes to us from the Romans. The stump then consists of two to five arms. This form does not allow trellising and therefore mechanization. In our region we use it especially in our old vines.
Not to mention the waist in so-called Royat cord, which is perfect for all types of vines. Generally, the stump consists of one or two horizontal arms, ideal for mechanized harvesting.
In conclusion, despite the cold weather of winter, our professional tailors work hard, preparing the wine of autumn.
Testimonials from passionate winegrowers
Delphine and Eric are winegrowers from vintage Corbières Boutenac au maylandia castle in Ferrals-les Corbières.
It's a family story, Delphine has always seen her father and grandfather in the vineyards, summer and winter.
So, she knows how important and difficult pruning is with the cold accentuated by the wind which slaps faces and chapped hands.
La size is a matter for the specialist because the The task is arduous and requires experience and precision. Also, every year, as winter approaches, his father Jean, 76 years old, continues to supervise the pruning. In the family, we favor the Royat cordon technique on the 25 hectares that it owns. But for old vines, goblet pruning is still appropriate.
“We prune our vines from November to March; it is the longest activity because it remains manual. It is necessary to consider the size for each vine so that future clusters are well ventilated. The skill is difficult to acquire and it takes several years to become a good tailor. It is true that this work is essential to obtain beautiful, well-stocked bunches of grapes; this also allows us to have a longer lifespan for our vine stocks. And this is certainly why our oldest Carignan vines in maylandia castle are a hundred years old! » .
Want to live an experience around the vine?
In Corbières Minervois, the vineyard paths offer very pretty views on the plain landscapes whose horizon is outlined by the mountains. Moreover, these paths are perfect for an invigorating walk or bike ride.
For the epicureous, why not make a tasting stop at a winemaker enthusiast who will share with you his anecdotes about life in the vineyards and his method of making wine. Or enjoy a special event Vineyards & Discoveries to go out and meet people?
