It is the week of all dangers for the winegrowers of Indre-et-Loire : as expected, temperatures fell below zero last night, which poses a risk of frost on the first buds of the vine. France Bleu Touraine contacted wine growers of different appellations, including Chinon, Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire and no damage has been observed for the moment.
To protect future harvests, various protection devices were used: In Vouvray, Benoit Gautier, for example, filmed the braziers lit at the feet of his vines.
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In the vines of the appellation of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, two devices are activated on 380 of the 1,100 hectares of the appellation: _ “_La tour anti-gelallows ventilation and prevents frost from settling on the vine “, explained Monday on France Bleu Touraine Patrick Olivier, president of the Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil wine union, and vice-president of the wine federation. Boilers installed at the foot of the towers heat the ventilated air and help dry the leaves.
Another system used on the vineyard: sprinkling. “It allows us to water the vines. With sub-zero temperatures, the water sprayed will turn into ice and the bud will be locked in it”, exposes the winegrower. “On the other hand, you have to water until thaw. With the sun, the ice begins to melt and frees the bud protected all night by the ice”.
The winegrowers of Indre-et-Loire may not get much sleep for the next two nights either. The weather forecast announces still negative temperatures, Wednesday morning and probably also the following night.
