Productive vineyards:

To conclude defence treatments, vines are checked for signs of wood deterioration (esca disease or eutipiosis) and plants affected by these diseases are marked with a ribbon or a coloured spray.

Plants that show symptoms of grapevine yellows, caused by phytoplasmas (flavescence dorée or bois noir) will be marked with a different ribbon or colour. This will make it easier to uproot and replace affected plants in the winter. Infected wood will have to be removed from the vineyard and destroyed.

At this time, all efforts are concentrated on organising the forthcoming harvest.

In the vineyards the last defence and protection treatments are done. Grass cutting in the vine-rows is completed.

The “fruttai” where grapes will be air-dried in bins are prepared. The bins are carefully washed, one by one.

Before harvest , grape-ripening indices are checked. Acidity (which decreases day after day) and sugar (which on the contrary rises) are analysed in order to determine when grapes are ripe and harvest can start.

New vineyards:

Defence treatments are carried out, and vine-rows are checked for weeds, which could take water and nourishment from vines planted in the previous months, or house harmful insects (American grapevine leafhoppers.) These insects lay their eggs on certain weeds (nettle, field bindweed ) and spread various phytoplasmas which, if not treated, could cause the death of young vines.