Emmanuel Delicata Winemaker has just completed the third consecutive year of its pioneering customised pruning programme. This year the pruning was carried out in 380 vineyards by a professional team of Italian experts, who worked side-by-side with Delicata’s own viticulturists and growers. In the previous two years, Delicata had brought in French experts.
This Italian team, made up of an agronomist and three pruners, specialises in pruning vines for quality-focused vineyards and, specifically, those growing in a hot, Mediterranean climate. Each pruner averaged well over 1,000 vines per day during the visit. Thousands of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache Noir vines were pruned.
The very latest in pruning techniques was applied. This takes into consideration each and every vine, particular grape variety and age, plus the vineyard’s soil composition, microclimate and its IGT or DOK classification.
The introduction of these customised pruning techniques is another step taken by Delicata to help its growers achieve vineyard sustainability.
Sustainable viticulture is crucial and anything we can do to help our growers achieve sustainability, especially while improving quality, is in everyone’s interest
The methods used will ensure that less sprays and fertigation are needed for the vines as a direct result of improved directional canopy growth. Even the varietal characteristics and the grapes’ flavour compounds would improve. This should also help maximise the amount of fruit produced so that growers reach their full DOK and IGT permitted yields.
The benefits of this latest customised pruning programme will not be seen until the growers involved harvest this year’s 2014 grapes in August and September. But the benefits experienced by Delicata’s growers on the vines pruned this way in the previous two harvests have already been realised, encouraging the winemaker and many of its growers to continue the programme.
A spokesperson at the winery said: “In our highly competitive world of wine, and being on a small island like ours, with all the disadvantages that brings, sustainable viticulture is crucial and anything we can do to help our growers achieve sustainability, especially while improving quality, is in everyone’s interest.
“The customised pruning programme we’ve pioneered is working, and now forms an integral part of our sustainable viticultural programme. It’s a win-win situation for all: our growers grow better grapes, we make even better wine, and our customers get to enjoy a superior wine that also offers better value.”