Pruning: By definition, pruning is the trimming of a tree, shrub, bush or vine by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems to promote growth and fruitfulness. Traditionally, pruning would start near the end of January, but nowadays it starts in December. January also finds barrels of new wines kept full to the top and their bungs (stoppers that fill the holes on the top of wine barrels) are cleaned every other day with a solution of sulphur dioxide. When the weather is dry, the bottling of older wines begins. Then they are then labeled and packed in boxes and ready for shipping.

In February, pruning continues and cuttings are taken for grafting onto rootstocks and then put in sand indoors. The vineyard manager or winemaker prepares machines for the outdoor work of the new season. One of them will also order copper sulfate for spraying. Racking (the drawing off the wine from the sediment in the barrel) begins when the weather is good and there is high atmospheric pressure. The winemaker then transfers the wine into a vat to equalize the casks.

In the middle of March plowing begins, first working the soil deeply to aerate the vines and uncover their bases. At this time, the vines begin to emerge from dormancy, sap begins to rise and the brown sheaths on the buds begin to fall off. The first racking should be finished by the end of March. The winemaker keeps the casks topped off and finishes bottling.

In April, the vineyard manager will finish the plowing. The vineyard is cleared by burning any remaining prunings and replacing any bad stakes. April is also the time for planting one-year-old cuttings from the nursery. The winemaker will continue to top off the casks.

In May, frost danger is at its height, stoves are put among the vines. The second working of the soil is done to kill weeds and spraying against oidium and mildew begins. Towards the end of May, just before the vines flower, begins the second racking off the lees into clean barrels.

The vines flower at the beginning of June when the temperature reaches 65-68º. The weather is critical: the warmer and calmer the better. After flowering, the shoots are thinned and the best ones are tied to the wires. The vines are sprayed for odium with powdered sulphur. New wines have their second racking (process of siphoning the wine off the lees into a new, clean barrel) completed and the old wines in the cellar are also racked. Evaporation is accelerated by the warmer weather and all casks need to be checked for weeping (exuding liquid) between the staves.

In July, the vines are sprayed with special formulated mixtures. The third cultivating of the soil to protect against weeds is also done at this time. The long shoots are trimmed so that the vines spend their energy on making fruit. In the hot weather, the cellar has to be kept cool and if it is necessary to shut the doors at night, sometimes a sulphur candle is burned.

In August the vines are trimmed and the vineyards are weeded. Black grapes turn color. Vats and casks are cleaned to be used for the vintage. Vine growth and fermentation start again mid-month. Low alcohol wines can turn in warm weather so they must be carefully watched.

About the third week of September the grapes are ripe and the vintage begins. In the first three weeks the vines are kept trimmed, birds are kept out of the vineyards and everyone prays for sunshine. The Cuvier where the wine will be made is scoured out, anti-rust varnish is put on all metal parts of the presses. Fermenting vats are filled with water to swell the wood and make them perfectly tight.