The work in the vineyards continues among the rows of the Agricola Marrone! July began with different temperatures and climatic conditions than we are used to, giving us many challenges and surprises. Here are all the tasks already carried out and those we will in the coming weeks!
Intermittent rain that wets our rows almost punctually, daily, and temperatures lower than those we were used to in recent years: this is the meteorological scenario for this July 2024. The widespread humidity inevitably translates into an increase in vegetative activity of our vines, requiring constant attention and repeated trimming interventions.
For the fifth topping of the season, precisely by virtue of this prodigious and continuous growth, we considered strategic to carry out higher cuts than usual, in order to allow the plant to “vent” its vigor as best as possible, while at the same time limiting the operations of browsing. Among the complications that such rainfall entails, there is certainly the proliferation of diseases: downy mildew and powdery mildew among the best known. To contain them as much as possible with the daily monitoring of the situation, we combine constant and targeted work: we proceed by cleaning the bunch strip to ensure good ventilation, we carry out frequent shredding to avoid excessive growth of the turf and further accumulation of humidity, and we carry out periodic tilling of the soil, to facilitate the evaporation of part of the water present in the subsoil.
Despite some instability and uncertainty, the month of July is characterized by a great abundance of fruit. Being firm supporters of early thinning, we have chosen to maintain one bunch per shoot, and although the risk of hail is around the corner, we try to stay positive and work to the best of our ability, day after day. On the other hand, as our agronomist likes to reiterate, approaching the grape harvest period with an excessive number of bunches per shoot – and, therefore, a lower yield in terms of quality of the grapes – can in some way be equated with the damage caused by atmospheric phenomena.
A precious lesson, which proved to be more true than ever in the aftermath of 6 July 2023, after the great hailstorm that hit our properties: despite having lost in some cases 40% of production, what had managed to survive boasted excellent quality parameters. An unpleasant episode in itself, which however strengthened our belief in reducing the quantity of bunches per plant, seeking excellence in every single berry. In the first weeks of the month, our work focused on the Nebbiolo grape, due to the abundance of this variety.
In the next few weeks, our rows will enter the fascinating phase of veraison, i.e. the change in color of the berries from green to red (or yellow, obviously depending on the variety). We will keep you informed on the interventions that we will propose again, with a view to what is the final – and initial, at the same time – chapter for our activity as winemakers: the harvest.