WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN THE VINEYARD?

Spring is just around the corner and this period is very important for winegrowers, as it marks the end of the dormant period. After a long sleep of several months, the vine reactivates. The sap starts to circulate again, goes up from the roots to the buds, and oozes through the scars left by Franck’s and Antonio’s scissors. It is said that the vine cries!

This natural process, also known as ” tears (or larmes)”, occurs in early spring when temperatures start to warm up after the winter. It is caused by the rise of the sap in the plant, which creates pressure in the roots and stems of the vine. However, it may also cause problems in vineyards, as the sap may attract insects and diseases. You have to be very careful! It is between this period and bud break that we deal with sexual confusion.

THE CONFU’ WHAT ?

Eudemis and Cochylis are among the most important pests of the grape bunch. The control of grape berry moths by sexual confusion consists of depositing synthetic pheromone diffusers in the vineyard to disrupt the sexual activity of the insects.

Pheromones are scent messages that female moths emit to attract males. The diffusers placed in the vineyard emit synthetic pheromones similar to those produced by the females, which, due to their concentration in the air, will disorientate the males. The males are then unable to locate the females and therefore cannot mate. This technique reduces the damage to the grapevine while reducing the use of conventional insecticides.

This stage generally takes us 2 to 3 days, during which we place a pheromone rod on each row every 4 or 5 vines. This is also a time for us to get some fresh air and check that everything is going well in our plots!

IT’S TIME FOR BUDBURST!

This is the key stage that marks the end of the winter rest period for our vines. The principle is that the buds, surrounded by their scales, which are called “bourre”, begin to point the tip of their leaves! For this, 2 elements are essential for good development: heat and light! When the bud breaks, meaning that the leaves start to unfold, they are extremely fragile and any external aggression, such as frosts, can be devastating! Unfortunately, climatic events are uncontrollable, and winegrowers have their own solutions to try not to lose their crops! 

The advantage of being in the south of France is that it is rare to see temperatures that can lead to crop loss, but it is not impossible! Two years ago, heavy frosts completely destroyed our Cabernet Sauvignon, which prevented the production of the Pierre vintage in 2021.

Other steps will follow, and we will tell you about them in the rest of our series of articles,

« Vinia’ Soustres » !   

Räyann