Late winter pruning to prevent spring frost damage and maintain the freshness of the grapes/delay ripening

Summary in the original language of the document

The practice helps to prevent losses due to spring frost, and therefore farmers do not have to switch to varieties with later budbreak. It also can lead to a delay in ripening, which helps to maintain freshness and other organoleptic properties/typicity. It is an adaptation of normal winter pruning that is based on grape acrotony. The farmer must wait until after budbreak (2 leaves unfolded) has occurred in the apical portion of the shoots to perform winter pruning. Acrotony is the natural behaviour of the vine to favour the buds located in the apical position, thus causing budbreak in the apical positions while inhibiting it in the basal positions. The buds located in the basal position are thereby protected in case of spring frosts.