Pruning the vines

Photo Service de Protection
des Végétaux

In January, the vine rests... its branches reveal only a tiny piece of each bud.

Each year, new branches sprout on the vine. But grapes only develop on the branches formed in the preceding year -- never on older ones. Therefore most of the time just two of the fruit bearing branches are kept on each plant.

On these selected shoots, the vine-grower saves just two buds and trims off the rest.