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The Principe Corsini winery produces organic and vegan wine and oil in the estates of Villa Le Corti and La Marsiliana.
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Contact usManual and artisan pruning method
Every year at Villa Le Corti, in the heart of Chianti Classico in San Casciano in Val di Pesa, the moment of winter vineyard pruning arrives. Pruning – which takes place during February – is an essential phase in viticulture, and the Principe Corsini estate carries out this practice with passion and dedication to ensure the health of the vines and the quality of the wines.
All 50 hectares of vineyards at Villa Le Corti are strictly pruned by hand, a choice that allows for careful attention to each individual plant while respecting the unique characteristics of each one.
Vine training systems at Villa Le Corti
Currently, in the vineyards of Villa Le Corti, 20 hectares are trained using the Guyot system, a type of cultivation called “spalliera” with renewal of the fruiting head. Instead, 30 hectares follow the “Cordone Speronato” system, where spurs with two or three buds are left during the winter pruning.
The Merlot vines are trained using the Cordone Speronato system, while the Sangiovese vines are divided between the two methods, with some recently converted vineyards now using the Guyot system. The latter, which renews the fruiting head every year, allows for more homogeneous production and is closer to the traditional “Tuscan arch,” which is particularly suitable for Sangiovese.
Pruning with the waning moon
At Villa Le Corti, winter pruning follows the centuries-old tradition tied to the period of the waning moon. According to ancient agricultural wisdom, this phase of the lunar cycle is the most favorable time for pruning because the sap in the plant is less active, and the plant is not pushing energy toward new growth.
Pruning during the waning moon helps ensure that the vine focuses its energy on root development and strengthening rather than on premature growth.
Pruning and climatic conditions of winter 2024/2025
During the winter between 2024 and 2025, the Chianti Classico area, particularly the municipality of San Casciano in Val di Pesa where Villa Le Corti is located, experienced milder temperatures than the historical average.
Although these conditions could reduce the dormancy of the vines, the situation is not concerning, as winter pruning is always carried out with great care to avoid stimulating early vegetative growth, which could be harmful in the event of late frosts.
Passion and dedication to vine pruning
In the vineyards of Villa Le Corti, the manual pruning of 50 hectares requires weeks of hard work, always carried out with great commitment, effort, and determination by professionals who have been dedicated to this essential phase for years.
Winter pruning of the vines, like every year, marks the beginning of a new season. For this reason, as the new season begins, the entire Villa Le Corti team looks forward with hope to the 2025 harvest, knowing that every action taken in the estate’s vineyards contributes to ensuring high-quality wines.
