This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
Do you know what a tendril is? If this is the first time you come across this word, don’t worry. Our experts at Bodegas Arzuaga show up in this blog so that you can delve into the world of wine and learn first-hand about everything that happens in the vineyard. Today we are going to talk about tendrils: those spiral-shaped plant structures that cling to small objects and support the vine shoots. These little pieces play a crucial role in taking care of the vines. That’s why we asked Jorge Sánchez, the Vineyard Manager at Bodegas Arzuaga, about the importance of tendrils are in viticulture. Join us on a walk through our vineyards. Let’s go!
‘I want to talk about tendrils. Maybe you didn’t know this, but the vine is a climbing plant. So, if we were to leave a single vine shoot, the plant would grow a lot as long as it had something to hold onto. And that is precisely what the tendrils are for’, explains Jorge Sánchez, Vineyard Manager at Bodegas Arzuaga. ‘If we look closely at the vines, we will see tendrils from the previous year that are now woody’, he adds. The fact is that tendrils are the normal support structures of climbing plants. They are spiralling plant tissues that cling to small objects to support the vine shoots. ‘As I said, in a closer look you’ll also see some green tendrils, which have been pulled by the vine to support itself as it seeks verticality, it seeks the sun, ripening, water, it seeks the sky’, explains Jorge Sánchez.
Tendrils are part of the past and present of Castile and León, they are one of the most traditional snapshots in our village’s houses. ‘This is the reason vine trellis formations are made, that can be seen in many village wineries. There is a strong culture of having vines in gardens, placed next to the fences, so that tendrils cling together to form the vine’, tells us Jorge Sánchez.
This is the story of tendrils, a fundamental part of the vineyard, but still largely unknown to the general public. And if you would like to know more about the vineyard and how we work at Bodegas Arzuaga, don’t hesitate to book one of our wine tours and immerse yourself in the world of Arzuaga.