The saying goes “year of snow, year of good things”, although with this crazy weather who knows. On the Three Kings’ Day, January 6th, we woke up with a beautiful snowfall in our vineyards in the Ribera del Duero Burgalesa. The previous year the snow was seen a few days later (on January 9th with the already famous Filomena), although the temperatures at the beginning of the year were more regular than those of 2022.
The benefits of the snowfall that fell a few days ago, go beyond the beautiful pictures that we find in our region. One of the main contributions of the snow, falling on the vineyard in proper proportions, is hydration, since the frozen water is slowly absorbed by the ground, filtering little by little. In addition to hydrating, it provides a reserve of water for the drier months.
Currently, as the plant is in a vegetative standstill (concentrating all the sap in its roots), the snow does not harm the vineyard and further acts as a natural insecticide, eliminating insects, fungi and possible pests that are not capable of withstanding extreme temperatures. We thus have a natural way of sanitizing and cleaning the vineyard.
Another important benefit that snow provides is the healing effect on the vineyard, being able to heal possible wounds that may have arisen during dry pruning.
Igualmente este 2022 nos encontramos con un inicio de año diferente al que nos precede. En enero del 2021 se registraron 13 días de precipitaciones en forma de lluvia y 3 de nieve, con 15 jornadas en las que se llegó a cubrir el suelo con un manto blanco, concentradas éstas entre el 9 y el 20 de enero. Mientras, los pasados 1, 2 y 3 de enero nos encontrábamos en Fuentecén con máximas cercanas a los 20 grados. Estas altas temperaturas para la época en la que nos encontramos han hecho que ya veamos algunos almendros a punto de brotar. De seguir con estos ritmos tan alterados este año seguramente se volverá a adelantar la vendimia en muchos puntos de la Ribera del Duero.
Likewise, in 2022 we encounter a different start to the year than the one that preceded us. In January 2021, 13 days of precipitation in the form of rain and 3 in the form of snow were recorded, with 15 days in which the ground was covered with a white blanket, concentrated between January 9th and 20th. Meanwhile, on January 1st, 2nd and 3rd we were in Fuentecén with highs close to 20 degrees. These high temperatures for this time of year have already made us see some almond trees about to sprout. If these altered rhythms continue this year, the harvest will surely advance again in many areas of the Ribera del Duero.
