Let’s start the new year in our favorite way: walking among the rows of vines, ready for the beginning of a new season, and sipping a good glass of wine. Ready for the months ahead? Join Agricola Marrone in the vineyard, roll up your sleeves, and… discover all the vineyard tasks for the month of January!
We begin this new year with the best intentions, filled with ambitious projects and dreams to fulfill: we raise a glass of our finest vintage and prepare to return to the vineyard. After all, when it comes to good wine, it’s all about proper row management and the health of each individual plant.
The vineyard work at Agricola Marrone begins with pruning. Winter pruning can be performed from the time the leaves fall (around November) until the plant’s vegetative activity resumes (April): the exact timing is determined based on practical, agronomic, and sanitary considerations. Since pruning cuts are the main “entry point” for bacteria and fungi, pruning early in winter provides a long window for fungi to establish themselves. For this reason, we have chosen to postpone this operation until spring is near, so the plant itself – as it approaches the resumption of vegetative activity – can quickly heal and isolate the pruned parts, preventing the entry and spread of pathogenic fungi.
Each plant is a fascinating being in its own right, with what we might call a “historical memory”: it carries traces and memories of frosts, diseases, or prosperous seasons it has endured. It is our task to “read” into it, adjusting our actions and interventions based on this and on what we expect from it in future harvests.
We continue our walk among the rows, observing the bare vines, immersed in the morning cold and the silence surrounding the hills. It is important that temperatures remain below zero for a prolonged period to ensure the plant enters a state of “sleep,” slowing the flow of sap.
In summary, vineyard work is this: thinking about the past and the future of each plant, deciding which shoot to keep, which and how many buds to maintain, and planning pruning and structure for the coming season. Individual vines must be kept at the same height, large cuts (a source of great stress and entry points for bacteria and fungi) should be avoided.
We prepare to return to the cellar. The cold earth crunches under our boots. In the coming months, we will take advantage of the dampest days to fold the shoots onto the wire, carefully avoiding breaking them or damaging the precious buds.