A measure in the vineyard to minimise the yield. This involves halving the grapes on the vine. The best time is at the beginning of the ripening stage, when the berries are still small, hard and green. In contrast to thinning (green harvest), where entire bunches are removed, this does not stimulate vine growth. The remaining berries now have more space and hang downwards. The resulting loose berries dry out more quickly after rainfall, which significantly minimises the risk of Botrytis infestation. This also means that the grapes can be left on the vine longer until harvest.
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For my many years of work as an editor with a wine and culinary focus, I always like to inform myself about special questions at Wine lexicon. Spontaneous reading and following links often leads to exciting discoveries in the wide world of wine.
Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien