#2015 Loire – Montlouis and the threat of rot

On Friday afternoon we went across to have a quick look at Montlouis to see how the Chenin was coping with all of the rain over the past few days – between 60-85 mm from last weekend. 

It was very interesting, although too brief a look to be a real scientific test, to see how the differences between the way that vineyards are cultivated and the level of rot. A vineyard, which had been totally blitzed with weedkiller, was obviously threatened with serious rot.   

 100% weedkillered vines

 Grassed over vineyard without leaf plucking

Slow riopening and rot developing especially where 

leaves touch grape bunches 

Grassed over vineyard with well separated 

bunches of grapes well aerated – free of rot