09 May 2014

Two wineries in Valdeorras use anti-ice systems to protect their harvest

The region of Valdeorras has two wineries, A Tapada and Rafael Palacios, prepared to try to alleviate the effects of frost that may affect crops at this time. Between late April and mid-May Frost advisories are the order of the day, at a time in which vide has already visible clusters and any sudden change in temperature can be harmful. The region by its mountainous terrain, with several rivers, has important Frost throughout the winter, but they are the spring, which can cause damage. Among growers is still remember the last two, in 2010, that affected much of the region, and the last year that destroyed much of the harvest in several wineries and different areas with temperatures five degrees below zero.

ventilador-antihelada-A-Tapada

A Tapada in Rubiá and Rafael Palacios in A Rúa wineries sought devices to try to alleviate the effects of the sudden descents of temperature in the vineyards. A Tapada use some giant fans that generate currents of hot air to avoid the settlement of cold air in the vineyard, that “Burns” the fruit and leaf of the strain, and Rafael Palacios about propane burners that serve the same function, but for smaller surfaces. A Tapada pioneered begin to find solutions to this problem and has them in place since 1999. Carmen Guitián, one of the owners of the winery, explains that his brother Ramon (who died in 1996) discovered this system on a trip to California (USA) and as they carried a couple of years with serious problems by frost that affect the area of blonde, they decided to invest. There were 13 million pesetas (about 78,000 euros today) what was spent to buy them from a French company, in addition to the works required for installation, although they have been compensated and given you use repeatedly. Explains that in 2013 frost could do little because these devices are useful with minimum temperatures of -3º, but if they drop most lose their effectiveness.

The same has the winemaker of Rafael Palacios, Cecilia Fernández, who also remembers that three burners which have from 2011 are not placed in the vineyards at more altitude, but are in colder areas, about 680 metres and near rivers. The weekend of May 3 and 4 of them were prepared to act in the bolesa area of Coalleira, in the estate Souto dos Santos, but finally there to use them. Cecilia Fernández explains that the devices give coverage to small plots of less than one hectare, however the two fans of A Tapada cover the 9 hectares planted to its around. Besides existing on the market these palliative systems, growers of the region also resort to the agricultural insurance to offset losses.

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