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Contact usPhenological phases of the vine: from vegetative rest to maturation
The life cycle of the vine and annual regeneration
Like every living thing, every vine with its plants goes through a life cycle, long even many years, which begins with the planting and growth of the vines until its natural decline.
In its life cycle, every year the vine goes through the so-called phenological phases. A path along which the plant regenerates following an annual cycle, ranging from the vegetative rest of the winter period to maturation with the production of grapes.
Principe Corsini’s attention to the phenological phases of the vine
In the Principe Corsini winery, the production of wine combines the concept of sustainability and respect for the environment and seasonality of each vine. To do so, it has chosen to direct its activities towards the natural maintenance of fertility and soil balance by following the principle of productive practices that combine the preservation of the territory in search of wine excellence.
In 2012, the company converted the crops to the organic regime, and in 2015 obtained the bio certification. To prevent and combat infections caused by parasites, Principe Corsini uses only contact products not absorbed by plants and uses only organic agricultural and wine-growing practices. Moreover, the use of fertilizers with a reduced intake of nitrites and nitrates. In 2022, the company has completely renovated its fleet with less polluting tractors, too.
Manual methods that support phenological phases
In the vineyards of Villa Le Corti, manual methods are used to support the phenological phases of the vine. One of these is the alternation of a hard row to a worked one: when the harvest ends and the grape harvest is finished, the preparations for the seedbed of the green manure begin.
The green manure is perfectly suited to the cultivation of the vine and is an important practice for organic farming because it has a reduced environmental impact and safeguards the biodiversity of the territory, improving the content of organic matter and humus of the soil, soil structure, and porosity. In addition, it ensures greater soil fertility, slowing soil erosion avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers, and helps bring microelements such as iron, boron, chlorine, and manganese to the surface.
Organic farming and the annual vine cycle
The organic agriculture of Principe Corsini exploits the natural fertility of the land without stressing them to obtain a greater production, also respecting the natural cycle of the seasons. The annual bindings performed in the vineyard are made with biodegradable wires, composed of a very thin core of iron covered with paper. A choice that is justified by its strength and elasticity.
Having said this, let’s better discover what are the phenological phases of the vine and how they follow one another, starting from the weeping to the winter rest, passing through flowering and maturation.
Weeping and budding of the vine
With the advent of the mildest temperatures in the spring season, between March and April, the vine wakes from the long winter sleep. The lymphatic fluid, as if it were the weeping of the vine, begins to come out of the cuts caused by the pruning of the winter, marking the resumption of the so-called radical activity. In this phase, the trunk and branches regain water and mineral salts lost in winter.
At this point, the budding phase begins with the first swelling of the buds, from which the new leaves are born. This phase highlights the real vegetative recovery that will result in the so-called phase of vegetation.
Vegetation and flowering of vines
Together with the new leaves that grow on the vine, new branches are born. This phase continues during the summer, until August, when the green shoots turn brown, a sign of the actual ripening.
More or less in conjunction with the start of vegetation, between May and June on the vine, there is also the opening of the flower, a very delicate phase and linked to mild temperatures. A sudden rise in temperatures or heavy rains risk compromising everything.
Fruit set and grape ripening
The flowering phase of the vine and the pollination of the flowers, followed by the setting with the appearance of the first very small grapes. As the weeks go by, the berries grow to round and swollen grain sizes.
The ripening phase of the grape, between August and September, is the veraison, which also coincides with the change of color of the berry from green to red or black. In the case of white varieties, the skin of the berry becomes more transparent, taking shades ranging from yellow to light green. At this stage the pulp of each grain becomes more sugary.
Maturation and winter rest
After the veraison, the ripening of the grapes continues, depending on the variety, for one or even two months, until the harvest that at Villa Le Corti is strictly by hand. Perfect ripeness is reached when sugars and acids are equal and when tannins and coloring substances become extractable. Only in this way it will be possible to obtain a wine having a balance between structure and smell.
The phenological phases of the vine end with the fall of the leaves and the subsequent return to rest during the winter. Contrary to what you might think, cold temperatures are fundamental for the vine, as they strengthen the plant and eliminate the presence of any diseases and parasites. A new phenological cycle of the vine starts again in March with weeping linked to milder temperatures.
