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DISCOVERY<br />
NURSERY<br />
mineralised before the vines are planted. Obviously, the choice of grape variety<br />
should be suited to the soil and discussing this with the nursery operator beforehand<br />
can be worthwhile. Before planting, the soil structure should be fine-tuned,<br />
by breaking the lumps for example, which avoids creating air pockets. Then, of<br />
course you need to water the vines to seal them properly into the ground.<br />
Another essential rule is mechanical soil maintenance. Tillage is required to avoid<br />
the spread of plants and grasses that compete with vines and to aerate the soil.<br />
Finally, young vineyards need to be protected against fungal diseases like powdery<br />
and downy mildew, so plant protection is required for as long as possible.<br />
If from a very early age vines are affected, they will struggle to enter a new cycle<br />
the following spring. Vines with the strongest canes get off to a better start the<br />
following spring. The amount of work you put into a young vine will be rewarded<br />
one hundred times over subsequently.<br />
G&G: When is the best time to plant?<br />
M. M.: Vines can be planted from November onwards in regions where the winters<br />
are fairly mild, which for the past few years means almost everywhere. If not,<br />
from April-May to avoid frost. In Atlantic regions, like the damper South-West<br />
part of France, you can plant until June, but that’s really the very latest.<br />
MIGUEL MERCIER IN ONE OF THE PRODUCTION GREENHOUSES<br />
58 SUMMER 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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