The beginning of winter marks a crucial moment in the annual vine cycle: it’s pruning time. This essential task, traditionally carried out between December and March, prepares our vines to ensure a balanced and high-quality harvest.

Pruning not only determines the future yield of the vineyard but also serves as the first step in preserving the essence of our flagship wines. Vine cultivation aims to regulate both the productive capacity of the plants and the spatial arrangement of future shoots and grape clusters.

The vine is a climbing woody plant that, if left to grow freely, could reach up to 30 meters in height, making management difficult and affecting fruit quality. Through precise cutting of young branches, human intervention controls its growth, shaping the vine, reducing aging, and maintaining its development within a cultivable space. This practice not only facilitates access to grape clusters but also directly influences the plant’s production and vigor, optimizing grape quality and extending its productive lifespan.

Pruning: An Art and a Science

During pruning, our expert vine-growers carefully select the buds that will produce the best shoots, ensuring a balance between quantity and quality. This process requires an in-depth understanding of the vine’s life cycle and a continuous assessment of the plant’s condition and the soil in which it grows. It is not just about cutting branches but directing the vine’s growth toward optimal production, ensuring that each shoot receives the right amount of nutrients and sunlight. Additionally, this process strengthens the plant in the long term, promoting longevity and resistance to diseases.

Pruning is, essentially, an investment in the future quality of our wines, as every decision made at this stage directly impacts grape ripening and the organoleptic characteristics of the final product. This year, as part of our sustainable practices, we have implemented adjustments based on recent studies on the impact of climate change on viticulture.

Adapting to Climate Conditions

- Goblet pruning, typical of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, remains our preferred method for vineyards located on less fertile soils with a strong viticultural tradition. This system helps reduce water and heat stress, enhances photosynthetic efficiency, and better adapts to climate change and its effects.

- In more fertile soils that induce greater vigor, we use trellising systems, which simplify pruning, improve vegetation management, and ensure optimal sanitary control.

Innovative and Resilient Vine Training Systems

This year, we will introduce the Keyline planting system in our new plantations to optimize rainwater collection and distribution across parcels. This will protect soils from erosion and maximize the sustainability of our vineyards. Protecting the soil is essential for the survival of the vineyard itself and for maintaining the typicity of the grapes produced.

The Pruning Process at Grupo La Rioja Alta, S.A.

Pruning, carried out by expert hands, requires precision to:

- Regulate grape load per vine, balancing quality and production.

- Improve grape cluster aeration and sun exposure, reducing the risk of diseases such as powdery mildew.

- Extend the vineyard’s productive lifespan, maximizing grape quality for decades.

In 2025, we continue with mechanized pre-pruning in our vineyards, followed by entirely manual pruning using a gentle, minimally invasive approach that respects the vine. This technique minimizes the impact on the plant, avoiding excessive cuts that could cause deep wounds and disrupt sap circulation. We are proud to have been pioneers in Rioja and Ribera del Duero in applying this pruning method.

Commitment to Sustainability

In line with our sustainability policies, pruning residues are used to:

- Improve soil fertility through on-site shredding and incorporation into the soil.

- Contribute to carbon sequestration by avoiding burning and repurposing vine shoots as organic matter.

The Future of Pruning at Grupo La Rioja Alta, S.A.

We continue to invest in vineyard management innovation. In addition to our current strategies, we are exploring new pruning techniques to further improve the efficiency and sustainability of our vineyards.

Pruning is not just an agricultural task; it is a strategic practice that defines the quality of our wines from the very start. Every cut and every decision reflect Grupo La Rioja Alta, S.A.'s commitment to tradition, innovation, and winemaking excellence.