It probably seems obvious that the amount of sunshine a vine receives will have a definite effect upon growth and development. But is it just the sun?
I took a couple of pictures in the recently planted Côt vineyard of Chateau de Montdomaine last week and you can clearly see how the vines at the top end of the parcel have developed at a very different rate from those at the bottom.
Have a look at the photos. The vines that are at the bottom of the parcel are on a slope and directly south facing. They clearly receive more sunshine and are much more developed than the vines towards the top end of the parcel which is flatter.
So – yes it’s sunshine, but also aspect. The slope here makes a big difference.
