11 June, 2021

Ébourgeonnage is the French term for disbudding vines. Is is performed after bud break. It consists of removing certain undesirable und useless shoots located on the spur, the stick and the wood of the previous year. Branches said to be non-bearing will be removed. The sap of the vine is thus better directed where it is needed. It also allows better ventilation by avoiding the piling up of superfluous leaves. It is used to regulate yields, too. This action is often combined with the épamprage, which consists of removing all the shoots that have started on old wood (grapes only grow on one-year old wood). This will make pruning easier next winter and it also limits the risk of catching a fungi-related disease. Fungi found on the ground can make their way onto the lowest leaves by splashing rain.

The vines

The vines

Ébourgeonnage

Ébourgeonnage

Branches we took off

Branches we took off

A wine blossom. The vines have completed their flowering. They pollinate themselves, no bees necessary

A wine blossom. The vines have completed their flowering. They pollinate themselves, no bees necessary