Relevage - Lifting the Leaf Wires

The vine trellissing system has fruiting wires - which are permanently fixed to the posts to support the weight of the fruit and leaf wires. Leaf wires are movable. with the wires hooked over fixings on each of the posts along the row. At the start of the season the wires are unhooked and laid along the ground. They are now lifted into place, scooping the leaves up, containing the growth and exposing the bunches of grapes. When this operation is complete the vines can be trimmed (rognage). In 2004 we changed the ends of the wires (originally fixed to the end-posts), adding chains to the ends of the wires and 2 nails in the posts - this provides much better control of the leaf wires and a more effective lifting process.