Viticulture: A Long-Distance Race
The end of the year is here, and with it comes the long-awaited time to gather with family and friends… and what better way to do so than with a glass of wine in hand?
Sometimes we idealize or romanticize the winemaking process, but the truth is that when wine reaches our glass, it has already undergone a long journey to get there. An entire year (or more) of work, leaving our boots caked with mud and our hands stained with wine.
The vineyard never stops and demands constant care and attention. In fact, if we think about it, there are tasks to be done every month of the year—many of which you may have heard of or even tried yourself at some point.
So, sit back, pour yourself a glass of wine, and discover in this post the fascinating journey of viticulture through the months of the year.
January: Time for Pruning
With the arrival of a new year, the work begins to prepare the vineyard for the upcoming season. During these days, our team, equipped with pruning shears in hand, sets out to prune our vineyards.
Taking advantage of the cold temperatures, when the vine is dormant, the plant experiences lower activity and sap flow. The leaves have fallen, and the vine is at rest.
Pruning is a fundamental task in the vineyard, one that helps control the growth of the vines. It must be carried out by skilled hands, as it’s an “aggressive” process for the vine. Care must be taken to avoid excessive cuts that could lead to the loss of spurs or arms, which are vital for the plant’s structure.
Done manually, vine by vine, pruning is a delicate and time-consuming activity. However, it’s essential for ensuring better air circulation and optimal sunlight exposure for the grape clusters that will sprout in a few months.
February: “Tilling to Fallow”
According to the RAE, “fallow” is defined as arable land left unsown for one or more years.
For us, “making fallow” means carrying out tillage tasks by plowing at maximum depth to break channels and allow rainwater to penetrate deeply into the soil layers. However, the cultivator’s blade should not exceed a depth of 20-30 centimeters; otherwise, it could damage the plant’s root system.
Tillage has undergone significant transformation with the mechanization of agriculture. The days of mules and plows are long gone, but this practice remains a vital task in farming.
March: “Biological Pest Control in the Vineyard”
Every March, with the arrival of spring, it’s time to put on gloves and take action against the grapevine moth—or, as we commonly call it, Lobesia—a pest widely spread across the Mediterranean region.
For nearly two decades, we have been employing biological pest control in our vineyard through the method of “sexual confusion”, avoiding the use of systemic insecticides.
Typically, one diffuser is placed for every three vines. These diffusers contain the synthesized pheromone of the Lobesia moth, which mimics the sexual scent released by the female moth during reproduction.
Once deployed in the field, the diffusers create an atmosphere saturated with the insect’s sexual pheromone. Male moths, guided by their antennae, are unable to locate the real females amidst this “pheromone fog,” preventing mating and halting subsequent generations. We leave these males thoroughly “confused”!
April: Explosion of Life
Spring brings a burst of blooming flowers, and the vineyard is no exception! During this month, the vines enter full budding.
Life begins to emerge as tiny flowers appear, which, week by week, will gradually take the shape of grape clusters. However, we must remain vigilant in nourishing and caring for them to prevent nutritional deficiencies, such as iron chlorosis or manganese deficiency. These needs can be addressed by supplementing with nutrients or enriching the soil with manure when necessary.
May: Green Pruning and Summer Tillage – “Kicking Up Dust”
May is often a frantic month in agriculture. The cold ends, the heat begins, and combined with the soil’s moisture, it creates an “explosion of life” in the vineyard.
At this stage, it’s crucial to carry out green pruning, also known as “spring pruning,” which complements the winter pruning. Unlike the latter, it must be done much more swiftly. The goal is to balance the plant’s productive load while improving the overall health of the vineyard.
We must remove the shoots from undesirable buds located on the trunk or between the spurs. Otherwise, they will produce low-quality clusters. Removing these shoots improves air circulation and sun exposure for the high-quality clusters, while also preventing pests and diseases associated with excessive humidity.
At the same time, we carry out another important task: “Kicking Up Dust.” This involves shallow tillage to break the crust of the soil, preventing it from cracking and splitting due to moisture evaporation. This creates a protective “blanket” in the vineyard, conserving moisture for the hotter months to come.
June: Measuring the Plant
In June, we begin to see the first signs of what’s known as “pea-sized berries,” which will gradually grow larger and form the grape clusters of our various varieties.
At this stage, the farmer carefully approaches the plant to perform quantitative measurements. Depending on the phenolic development of the clusters, several parameters can be measured, including the arms, shoots, and buds. This involves a detailed count, enabling an estimation of the vineyard’s productivity for the season.
July: Monitoring Grape Ripening
Harvest time is approaching. In the weeks leading up to it, an exhaustive sampling study is essential to determine the optimal ripeness of the grapes, a key factor in deciding when to “take action.” For this, we rely on “DYOSTEM,” a tool that evaluates the oenological potential of the plots and determines the ideal harvest date.
August: Veraison and the Start of Harvest – The Countdown Begins
Veraison marks the countdown to the harvest.
Our grape clusters go through a stunning range of colors, transitioning from deep greens to golden yellows and finally to garnets and purples, signaling the full ripeness of the grapes.
From late July to mid-August, the vineyard transforms into a festival of colors, culminating in the most eagerly awaited moment of the year: the harvest.
Surely, we can all agree that this task needs no introduction—it’s time to harvest the grapes.
All the hard work and effort of the year culminates in this moment. At Bodegas Mendoza, we begin by harvesting the earliest-ripening varieties, such as Chardonnay, Moscatel, and Pinot Noir.
September: Full Harvest Season
Once the early varieties are “home,” it’s time to focus on the remaining red grape varieties, which are harvested throughout September depending on their vegetative cycle.
This is a decisive period, where multiple tasks overlap, such as pressing, fermentation, and the harvest itself.
We start with Merlot and Shiraz, gradually moving on to later varieties like Petit Verdot, Monastrell, and Cabernet-Sauvignon.
Manual harvesting, while requiring more effort from the teams, is essential to the process. It allows for field-side selection and ensures the grapes reach the winery intact, preserving the whole berries for vinification.
October: Time to Nurture the Soil
By mid-October, the harvest is usually complete, but the work in the vineyard never truly stops. This is the time to care for the soil and help the vines replenish the energy they expended in producing their fruit.
At Bodegas Mendoza, we use natural compost for fertilizing our vineyards. This compost is derived from extensive livestock farming and helps restore the nutrients in the vines while enhancing soil fertility. This practice ensures a sustainable approach to viticulture and harmony with the environment.
The soil is a cornerstone of the vine’s health. Vibrant soils are always easier to manage and yield better results.
November: Jarro and Pie de Rey
Jarro or Pie de rey? The choice depends on the type of planting system in the vineyard. For trellised vines, we use the jarro, while for bush vines, the pie de rey is the tool of choice.
But what exactly are the “jarro” and pie de rey?
The jarro or pie de rey technique is used when, due to various factors, a vine has been lost within the vineyard. To address this, we take a long, healthy shoot from a neighboring vine and bury it deeply in the spot where there is a “gap” or “missing vine.” The buried shoot, known as the “vástago,” is carefully protected until it develops enough strength to be separated from the “mother vine,” becoming an independent plant without root interference. This process allows us to maintain a vineyard with the productive potential of an adult while preserving the vigor of a young vineyard.
December: Pre-pruning
From mid to late December, pre-pruning takes place in the vineyard.
Equipped with a pre-pruning machine, our team cuts the tendrils that naturally attach the vine to the trellis, as well as the longer shoots at a determined height. This makes the manual pruning work in January much easier. Let’s not forget that the vine is a climbing plant and seeks support to guide its structure, making this activity crucial.
And what about you? Are you ready to get your boots dirty in the vineyard? If so, we invite you to visit us and experience the wine production process at Bodegas Mendoza firsthand, from the field to the table.
