🌿 Drought

Drought is a long period without rain when the soil dries out. For grapes it is a two-sided matter. A little dryness is useful: the vine sends roots deeper, and berries come out small and concentrated. That is how many good wines are made.

But if the dryness is severe, the vine suffers. Leaves wilt and fall, growth stops, berries stop gaining sugar and shrivel, and the crop drops. Young vines and plants on light soils suffer more. Sometimes drought comes with heat, and the damage is then greater.

Drought is part of a vineyard's climate, on which the whole year depends. Irrigation helps, especially drip irrigation, where water goes straight to the roots. It is not allowed in every region, and in many it is strictly limited. Growers also use mulch and cover crops and choose resistant rootstocks and varieties. As the climate warms the problem grows sharper, so producers look for new ways to save water.