68 Port anD the Douro
Guyot has mostly been superseded by a spur-pruned permanent, unilateral or bilateral
cordon with eight buds or twelve buds respectively per vine. Although this is more difficult to
maintain, and yields less than guyot, it has a number of advantages, chief among which is the
ability to adapt to mechanised pre-pruning. The vine canopy is generally supported on three
wires. Depending on the method of training, the canes or spurs are normally tied to a first
wire approximately 60cm from the ground, followed by a single or double movable wire 30
to 35cm above to support the year’s growth. A final wire roughly 1.6 metres from the ground
helps to strengthen the trellis and provides further support for wayward tendrils. Although it is
not yet officially permitted, the Fladgate Partnership have been experimenting with a number
of training methods including Smart-Dyson and a system known as Tekuta Two Tier (TK2T)
both of which, with a greater number of buds per vine, allow for increased planting density
and narrower patamares. At first sight many of the Douro’s vineyards appear unruly compared
to the neatly trimmed hedges of vines seen in Bordeaux and Burgundy. In an attempt to
achieve greater sunlight penetration, a number of growers now practice summer leaf pruning
that gives fruit exposure to some late ripening varieties.
Pests anD Diseases
Despite the seemingly arid conditions in much of the Douro, vine diseases are rife.
Among the most insidious are oidium and mildew, both of which reached the region in
the nineteenth century and are controlled respectively by sulphur dusting (‘enxofre’) and