Over the past few weeks at Brolio vineyards, pruning with the rise in temperature was followed by the so-called “weeping of the vines,” meaning the release of sap that generally anticipates the process of sprouting by approximately one month.

Sprouting is a magical time, which year after year reminds us of the miracle of life as it fills the vines with the bright green colors of the sprouting buds. It is a crucial and energy-intensive phase for the vine, since the plant must use the starch and nutrient reserves accumulated between the post-harvest and the winter dormancy periods, in order to endure the enlarging buds and the release of sprout.

The buds open when temperatures stabilize above 12° C, based also on the type of soil, grape variety, time of pruning, and the vineyard’s level of exposure. The first bud to open is the most important one and, within 10 days of the moment it sprouts, all buds of the branch will also sprout. From then on, the sprouts will expand and grow every day, which requires constant attention by those who will monitor and care for every growth phase and detail.

It is essential that those who, like Ricasoli, practice precision agriculture are knowledgeable of and study the phenological phases of the vine, as to intervene promptly to apply rigorous cultivation practices and to produce grapes of high organoleptic quality. Such is the agronomic objective of the Brolio team who constantly applies science and conscience to the field to preserve resources and continually increase the way it communicates with the vines.