As we enter mid-October, the weather in Ningxia is starting to cool down. The vineyards along the eastern slope of the Helan Mountain are wrapping up their grape pressing season. Staff members are busy trimming, trellising, and bundling the grapevines in the cultivation areas, while some are already burying the vines in preparation for their “winter slumber.”
Burying the vines in soil during winter and uncovering them in spring is a unique agricultural practice in northern China’s wine-producing regions. As winter approaches, grapevines need to be pruned and buried to help them withstand the harsh cold. When spring arrives, the vines are excavated, trained onto trellises, and prepared for a new growing season.
The Helan Mountain eastern slope wine region experiences dry, windy winters, with ground temperatures plummeting to around -20 degrees Celsius. To prevent frostbite on the vines, this area is one of the few in the world that requires vines to be buried during winter. Each year, the burying process begins in late October and lasts until mid-November, preceded by essential pruning work.
In this region, pruning is often referred to as “winter pruning.” It’s important to note that “winter pruning” doesn’t happen in the dead of winter; rather, it occurs about a month after the grape harvest. This is the time when the vines are trimmed in preparation for burying. According to an official from the Helan Mountain eastern slope vineyard management committee, “During winter pruning, we only leave two buds close to the main vine as a sign of hope for the coming year.” Proper pruning helps balance vine growth and fruit-setting, ensuring the plants remain vigorous and prolonging both their productive years and lifespan. Therefore, the quality of winter pruning directly impacts the healthy growth and yield of the grapes the following year.
The winter pruning season also sees an increase in labor across the wineries in the region. To save on labor costs, smart agricultural practices are now prevalent in the vineyards. In the past, clearing the pruned grapevines from the rows was a labor-intensive process. Today, new technology like mobile vine choppers allows for the quick grinding and returning of the vine waste directly to the soil, reducing the need for transportation and promoting waste recycling.
This year, many wineries in the Ganchengzi area, located in Qingtongxia City, are experimenting with a “hanging vine wintering” method. Some wineries have chosen to let the grapevines hang instead of burying them and will wait until early March when labor demands are lower to prune them. This approach not only helps reduce wind and prevent sand drift, making the winter vineyard appear less bleak, but it also creates a microclimate that raises surface temperatures. The pruned branches can later be returned to the soil, contributing to the sustainable and green development of the wine industry.
After winter pruning is completed, wineries will conduct systematic drip irrigation and disinfection, providing the vines with their last dose of “fertilizer” for the year. Following this, the extensive burying operation will commence.
