The vineyard spacing at Ardiri Winery & Vineyards is somewhat unique. Described by some as “Burgundian,” the meter by meter spacing (39 inches between each vine in a row, with the rows each being 39 inches wide) provides for more vines per acre (approximately 2000) and more tonnage per acre. This distance and planting method was convenient for the original French Cistercian monks who worked the vines manually and who were responsible for so many of the vineyards in the French countryside. The metric distance also accommodated a plow horse, enabling subsequent vintners to work the ground and soil between the rows using the “horsepower” available in the early centuries. The metric distance between the vines and rows also maximizes the use of limited farm land that is so unique and favorable to vineyards, especially in selected portions of France.

Close proximity of the vines also results in competition for nutrients between and among the vines. This competition helps to control the vine vigor, directing the energies of the vine to the grapes rather than to excess canopy and leaf production. The overall result is to improve the quality of the fruit and potentially the complexity of the wines derived from these grapes. The proximity of the vines to one another in the meter by meter vineyard does have the potential to obscure photosynthetic sunlight, but keeping the canopy trimmed seems to eliminate inter-vine interference with sunshine and shadowing.

In modern times, “over the row” machinery has been developed to service vineyards with such close spacing. These tractors enable multiple rows to be tended, sprayed, and fertilized at a time, a much more efficient use of time compared with manual tending.

The rows you may notice are oriented in a North-South direction. This is by design so as to maximize exposure to daily photosynthetic energy (sunlight), a significant planning effort as the vineyards planted farther North have limited photosynthetic exposure and require as much sunlight as available, usually with a North-South direction.

So when you visit Ardiri Winery & Vineyards, notice the spacing of the vines and the width of the rows. It’s a tradition that goes back hundreds of years!!!