This measure (also leaf pruning, summer pruning) in the vineyard is carried out several times if necessary. A limited number of leaves are removed from the grape zone. This measure is recommended for short-stemmed, dense foliage grape varieties with compact, dense-berried grapes and thin berry skins, for example Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau and Scheurebe (seedling 88). The defoliation favours the air circulation in the grape zone, so that the grapes dry off much faster after rain. This protects the ripening fruit from premature botrytis attack. One starts defoliating two to three weeks after blossoming, but not too many leaves should be removed, because the green berries are still at risk of sunburn until the véraison (beginning of ripening).