2 February 2022 - Bourgogne Wines

Burning of sarments_photo Clément The host From December to March, it's the pruning period, but not only... The vines have lost their variegated foliage, the ground is freezing, the mist has settled... The Burgundy vineyard suddenly becomes less welcoming in winter. However, winemakers frequent it every day. It is necessary that the feet are fine ready for spring, and the hatching of their buds. This implies an extensive program, leaving little time for rest during these few months. Pre-scaleSome practice, others do not. It is a question of simplifying the work of the tailor before his arrival. Pre-cutting is simply cutting some of the wood from each foot, in order to "aerate" the vine and make pruning easier. SizeThis is the bulk of the work, a task as long as it is demanding. On each foot, the winemakers keep only a few pieces of branch, and cut everything else. In Burgundy, pruning is generally practiced in Guyot : on each vine, only one large branch with a maximum of 8 buds (the baguette), and a small branch, with two to three buds (the courson) are kept. The first will bear fruit the following summer. The second will produce well-located twigs for pruning the following year. Size Guyot - Photo Clément L'hôte Performed during the coldest days, the size can seem off-putting. However, this task is often appreciated: it requires a good dose of reflection, because it is necessary to quickly choose the right branches. At each foot, an equation. Knowing that a worker must on average prune one hectare per week, that is... 10,000 feet. The drawing of the woodsThe cut branches remain prisoners of the iron wires that trellis the vine. It is necessary to "pull" them, or to remove them without damaging the rest of the foot. And above all, know what to do with these tons of wood! Some burn them, in these wheelbarrows typical of the Burgundy landscape in winter (photo). Others grind them, and make them a mulch to feed the earth. Long and repetitive, the drawing of woods is far from being the favorite activity of vine professionals. PlumageOn the chopsticks, always remain some tendrils and secondary branches (see photo above). They must be removed to keep only the buds. This operation is also called "cleaning the chopsticks". Many do this at the same time as the size. AttachmentA vine carved in the Burgundy style has a long branch (the baguette) vertically. It will have to be folded, to attach it horizontally on a wire. Thus, in the spring, the young branches from the buds will leave from below, side by side, avoiding piles of vegetation.The pruning of the vine in pictures:Here is a video made at domaine Venot in Moroges, in which Maxime Venot shows and explains the size of the vine:

What do winemakers do in winter?

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