Here in Corte Sant’Alda the vineyards reconversion started in 1985, a bit blindly. After a bad harvest, I felt the necessity to do something for having healthy and ripe grapes.
In 1986 I planted the first vineyard with a guyot training system: Macie vineyard. The measures were a little bizarre, m 0,90×2,60, but they were a good compromise with pergola. We reached the number of 4.500 plants per hectare without changing all the equipments.
In 2003 we reached 6.200 plants per hectare and we unwillingly did the extirpation of the last pergola (Cavallero). But it was time to search for new frontiers, keeping in our mind what we learned in the past.
In 2005 we planted Cavallero vineyard, with a guyot of 10.000 plants per hectare, with a cordon highness of cm 50 and with wooden palisade (my pearl!!!).
After we went back to the traditional guyot m 2,20×0,80, cordon highness cm 80.
This land has been put in my hands and I feel the duty to give it back, when it will be, in an improved state, complete, free, with its own soul.
I wish that…
Our actions are limited, to accompany vines along a natural growth, supporting them without creating break or tension. The agronomic intervention should be only for support.
The treatments should be used just for taking away the causes and not for fighting the effects. If products are so necessary they should be at least eco friendly products.
It is not easy… I am conscious that I am taking a steep and unknown route, unknown in the matter of time and result. But I would like to try.
A little note for my friend Alfredo:
it is true, the grass in our vineyards is a bit too high, but for me this is a sign of life. You can see colors, smell scents… of mint, arugula, chamomile. I can’t believe that all this would be dangerous for the vines. A tidy grassland is more an aesthetic need than a real necessity.
I like to think that all this colors and scents are going to be characteristics of each of our wines.
