The Guyot Method

There are many factors which influence the quality of wine: geographical location, climate, vintage, exposure, soil and the various aging techniques are, without any doubt, essential characteristics in the evaluation of a good wine; however also vine breeding and its cultivation are fundamental conditions.

Talking about vine breeding techniques we would like to introduce you a pruning method widely used in the territory of Langhe and Roero and that is used in all our vineyards: it is the Guyot method, also known as "ad archetto" because of the arched shape of the fruit head.

This kind of cultivation is the result of the selection among the different ways of pruning and represents the correct answer to the needs of the plant in order to determine quality and quantity of production.

How pruning is done

Basically, after pruning, on every vine there are two shoots, called fruiting shoot (that is the shoot which will be subsequently tied horizontally and will bear fruit during the season) and wood shoot which grows in height and will be subsequently tied in order to contribute to the formation of the curtain of about 1,00-1,50 m high (over 60-80 cm of height of the stump) which allows the vine to enjoy a beautiful foliage, primary source for the capture of sunlight. In the future season, the woody head will constitute the supply of shoots for pruning and production of the plant.

The fruit head is kept at 10 - 8 buds, while the wood head will produce only two buds.

Advantages of Guyot

1. The proximity to the ground (about 60 - 80 cm from the ground) brings the productive band closer to the ground so as to benefit from the warmth of the soil during ripening. At higher altitudes lowered vine heights facilitate ripening, while if we are at the foot of the hill higher heights will preserve the plant from humidity at harvest time and from spring frost.
2. Simplicity in pruning and harvesting
3. Excellent exposure of the leaves to the sun
4. Good planting density
5. Guarantees greater longevity of the plant while continuing to give a good yield in terms of quality and quantity.

The choice of the pruning method is the result of centuries of empirical tests and traditions, which in the last decades have met the results of scientific studies. Guyot brings together tradition and science and it is the pruning system which guarantees the highest levels of quality in the area with our historical vines.