The quality of a wine can be reflected in the work of professionals who care for the product from the field, through the winery, until it reaches the consumer’s glass.
From the moment a vineyard is planted until the first grapes are harvested, it is a long journey. This process must always be accompanied by sound technical viticultural practices. It is a fundamental element for achieving a quality viticultural production system that respects the environment.
These good practices applied to the vineyard guarantee very positive results in many agronomic, economic, and sustainability aspects.
Let’s begin by listing the different viticultural practices.
SOIL PREPARATION
Removal of plant residues and physical conditioning of the soil. Pay special attention if the previous crop was a vineyard; all roots that may remain in the soil must be thoroughly removed, as they can be a source of contamination for our new vineyard. Remove weeds using cultural techniques (cultivator).
In soils where a vineyard previously existed, allow a minimum fallow period of 4 years before establishing a new planting. This way, we can eliminate pathogens that may remain in plant residues (roots or old wood).
It is also advisable to perform subsoiling to facilitate root system establishment and improve water infiltration.
PRE-PLANT FERTILIZATION
Soil analysis is the first step we should take before performing any action on the land. We will plan the pre-plant fertilization based on the soil analysis. We will consider the results to make other decisions, such as the choice of rootstock or variety.
We can use the following values as a reference:
| Maximum permitted doses of P2O5 | Maximum permitted doses of K2O | Maximum permitted doses of MgO | |
| Poor Soils | 250 FU/ha | 350 FU/ha | 100 FU/ha |
| Loamy Soils | 200 FU/ha | 300 FU/ha | 80 FU/ha |
| Rich Soils | 140 FU/ha | 260 FU/ha | 50 FU/ha |
The compost must be buried with the preparatory work of the field.
Nitrogen fertilization in organic farming uses mature manure or compost, at a maximum rate of 30 T/ha. Preferably from cattle or sheep, and in some cases, chicken manure. If no organic matter is added, a maximum of 40 FU/ha of N from mineral fertilizers can be applied.
PLANTING
Use plant material that carries a phytosanitary passport and comes from officially authorized producers. Using quality plant material is one of the most important considerations for a new planting, as all the prior and future work we do on our plot will be useless if we do not have healthy, quality plants. For this reason, we must order the plants in advance from a trusted nursery with the desired rootstock, variety, and clone combination. Not all nurseries offer the same quality of plants, which is why we must order plants from a reputable nursery that operates professionally.
Quality and prestigious nursery
Casa Jaume Sabaté, as a specialized selecting nursery in grapevine plant production since 1889, offers viticulturists an extensive range of variety-rootstock combinations, as well as expert advice.
Planting design
When planting, the planting density must be considered, which is often limited by the regulations of each appellation of origin.
The arrangement of the vine rows should minimize soil erosion, but at the same time, we must consider other aspects. The direction of these rows will determine the interception of solar radiation by the leaves and the microclimate of the plant. Normally, the north-south direction is the most common for planting because it achieves greater symmetry in the illumination of both sides of the plant. However, in vineyards located in warmer areas such as Extremadura, Andalusia, and Castilla la Mancha, with high temperatures during grape ripening, a northeast-southwest orientation is recommended. This way, we reduce solar interception.
It is important to plant varieties and rootstocks authorized by current legislation.
Vineyard with drip irrigation system.
FERTILIZATION
A soil analysis is recommended every 5 years. For the production period, in the third year, a fertilization plan must be established considering yields, soil analysis results, irrigation water composition, and a visual assessment of the vineyard’s appearance.
If symptoms of nutrient deficiencies or excesses are observed in leaves, it is recommended to take a sample of plant material for laboratory analysis.
Nutrients should be supplied primarily in the form of organic matter.
Nitrogen Fraction:
The application must be fractionated throughout the entire vegetative cycle.
During the first year of planting, a maximum of 20 FU/ha of N can be applied. In the second year, a maximum of 25 FU/ha of N can be applied. During the production period, depending on the vigor of the planting and the expected harvest, a maximum of 40 FU of N will be established.
Phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium fertilization.
In the second year of planting, we can forgo (P, K, MgO) fertilization.
In the production year or third year of planting, we will apply the following.
| Maximum permitted doses of P2O5 (production period) | Maximum permitted doses of K2O (production period) | Maximum permitted doses of MgO (production period) | |
| Poor Soils | 30 FU/ha | 100 FU/ha | 20 FU/ha |
| Loamy Soils | 20 FU/ha | 80 FU/ha | 15 FU/ha |
| Rich Soils | 10 FU/ha | 60 FU/ha | 10 FU/ha |
For fertilization, Potassium Sulfate will preferably be used instead of Potassium Chloride, especially in calcareous soils and/or those with high salinity levels.
Other things to consider in this section. Limit foliar fertilizer applications to those strictly necessary and previously justified by nutrient deficiencies.
Iron chelates can be applied to control iron chlorosis.
“I hope this information can be helpful to many viticulturists, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.”