May in Regione Isola Manente is a month of extraordinary intensity. Nature doesn’t knock on the door; it explodes. After the awakening in April, the vine enters a phase of frantic growth, pushing shoots in every direction. It is at this moment that the winemaker must intervene with wisdom and firmness through suckering (or green pruning).

In the vineyard, suckering is an exercise in subtraction. Faced with a vine that wants to expand in every direction, our task is that of a mentor: we must show the vine the right path to take. We remove the "wood shoots" (those growing from the old trunk) and the double shoots that crowd the space.

This is not a mechanical task. Every plant is an individual with a different strength: we might be stricter with a younger vine and more protective of an older one. This discernment is what transforms a farmer into a craftsman of wine.

Why is this manual labor so precious for our Moscatello degli Orti?

• Canopy Management: By removing excess shoots, we create an open architecture. This ensures that future clusters are not suffocated by leaves, guaranteeing uniform ripening.

• Natural Prevention: A "clean" plant allows the breeze from the Argentina Valley to flow through the rows. The circulating air dries the morning dew, making life difficult for fungi and pests. It is our first and most important natural defense, allowing us to drastically reduce the need for treatments.

• Concentrated Energy: Every drop of sap that isn't wasted on a useless shoot is pure energy that the vine will gift to the grapes. It is a direct investment in the sapidity and aromas you will find in your glass.

Walking through the rows in May, as the sun begins to warm the earth and the scent of fresh grass fills the air, is a privilege. As our fingers snap off the tender shoots, the silence is broken only by the "click" of the breaking green wood. It is work that requires a strong back and sharp eyes - the hallmark of our heroic viticulture, where the human hand reaches where no machine could ever dream of going.