Organic Undervine Management

Here at Clos Henri, we love the arrival of spring, with beautiful blossoms and the steady awakening of our vines.

For us in the vineyard, after  bud burst, we can slowly feel nature awakening and the biodiversity amongst the vines with our cover crops, bees and birds starts humming with life.

As with everything in Spring, there is an abundance in growth from all directions, including the weeds. As we are certified organic, we do not use any herbicides on our soils but instead from leaf-fall through spring we rely on the sheep which are efficient for grazing. When they leave at the end of winter, we take the reins and disturb the small weeds using undervine cultivation methods.

During winter the soil is left undisturbed, allowing the microorganisms contained within to slowly break down organic matter and convert this to plant available nutrients. As Spring arrives and the vines start to awaken, the abundance of nutrients are shared with the vine but also the weeds so we have our work cut out for us.

By utilising the blades, we are permitting a good aeration of the soil and encourage the vine to be stronger and more vigorous by removing the weeds from the bottom and therefore the competition. Once removed, these weeds are left in place to dry out and get converted back to the all-important humus that helps the cycle to continue.