• Winery, Hospitality, Wines
Vineyards and snow, a union that bears fruit
Reading time in
An old rural proverb says «Sotto la neve pane» (“Under the snow, there is bread”).
Snow is a blessing for agriculture, the very symbol of seasonal rest. A blanket that covers nature, allowing it to gather vital energy for the upcoming spring.
The vineyard is no exception, and snowfall is one of the atmospheric phenomena that least concern winemakers. The cold weather brings rest, as long as it does not turn into frost. After bearing fruits in autumn, the vine has now given its all: its leaves fall and the plant “hibernates”, concentrating vital energy in the trunk and roots.
This is the reason why fertilization is done during winter, immediately after harvest: to stimulate the vine’s refreshing “sleep” and accumulate nutrients that will help for its regrowth.
The stocks among the rows do not suffer from the cold and can easily cope with low temperature, even below zero. Snow has a very important moisturizing effect on the soil, letting water slowly and constantly seep into the ground, making it softer and more elastic. Finally, snow and winter have another positive effect: they remove harmful insects and parasites from the environment, helping in reducing external “attacks”, at least until the coming of the new season.
