If Spider-Man can stick to walls, Superman can fly, and Thor is simply a god, then what about the viticulturists? Well, viticulturists also have certain superpowers that allow them to predict what will happen to the dormant grapevine in the fall, at harvest time. Don’t believe it? Keep reading…
It’s worth starting with a quick primer, in case not everyone has a grapevine clearly in mind. Although the viticulturist cannot see the roots, they are there in the soil beneath the visible woody trunk and, finally, the surface where the grapes grow. Depending on the grape variety, this can vary: some varieties produce fertile buds even on short spurs, meaning the first or second bud will flower, while others need more space, requiring longer shoots to allow flowering. This already determines how pruning should begin, and a good viticulturist immediately understands this.
Another thing a viticulturist pays attention to is vine load. It’s not advisable to adjust this later because it disrupts the plant’s balance. Imagine that each grapevine has a delicate balance between leaf area and fruit quantity—that is, how much fruit the vine can ripen per unit of leaf surface. If the fruit quantity is extremely limited, the plant channels the freed-up energy into the woody parts, causing the trunk to thicken, which in turn makes it easier for pathogens to overwinter. So, the viticulturist’s superpower also lies in setting the vine during pruning to produce just the right number of potential clusters for the plant’s balance and well-being. Anyone who claims the vine must suffer is mistaken! A good viticulturist is like a swimming coach who demands effort but ensures everyone enjoys themselves during the game.
Moreover—and here comes another superpower of viticulturists, foresight—pruning doesn’t just affect the current vintage but the next one as well! If the shoots grown the previous year are of appropriate length and strength, everything is perfect. But if, for example, three out of five or six shoots don’t reach the top wire or are thinner than they should be, the cane must be cut shorter so the plant can regain strength over one or two years and return to its usual rhythm.
Of course, work doesn’t end after pruning, as shoot thinning follows, which may be even more important than pruning itself. It’s not a simple matter of just cutting somewhere and hoping for the best… Ideally, the same person who pruned also does this, otherwise the viticulturist’s foresight is compromised, since shoot thinning can completely rewrite the whole concept. But that’s another story…
