Retrospective on the early season

« After a soft winter, the beginning of the season is difficult »

March – April

Thanks to a mild weather, in March the last pruning was done in good conditions. In April, we focused on fastening the plants and the wine plowing our soils.

As working in the vineyard is not exactly restful, we have used several materials; interceps, bineuses à doigts Kress and Bidurettes. The good mineral nutrition of the vine is very important for its growth. That is why we have prepared liquid compost, containing of all the microorganisms the soil needs. Even the vineyards sometimes need some help! Unfortunately, the weather played bad tricks on us and a part of our vineyard strongly suffered with big damages due to the frost at the end of April.

         

May

In may, the vine resumed its cycle, however, once again the cold temperatures for the season slowed its growth. As you would have understood, the rain sustainably invited itself this month, not without upsetting our calendar.

« Raining is beneficial, but with moderation! »

Indeed, too much rain makes inevitable and difficult the treatment of our plots. To protect our leaves, we only use natural products which do not penetrate inside the plant. These high precipitation wash the leaves that are not effectively protected.                                                                                        

As one man’s loss being another man’s gain, grass becomes the great winner of these rainfalls. Using any weed killer, we have real difficulties to enter our plots with the tractor to remove it.

Elsewhere in France

Here we are in June and we still do not know what fate has in store for us! Weather does not seem to be ready to change at least until the middle of the month. To be followed …

Solidary in pain! we have a thought for our friends from Chablis, Beaujolais and Cognac who were seriously damaged because of the hail storm of the 28-29^th week end of May.  These violent events are now more regular, hail storm or tornado, we will have to be get use to it, and see what the future has in store!

Thanks to the global warming!

*Photos Louise Brison and Aurélien Ibanez