6. Luglio 2026
Between July and the Harvest: The Quiet Work of the Vineyard
Vineyard Work Before Harvest | Prosecco Hills Tours
Discover the hidden summer work behind every glass of Prosecco — leaf removal, mowing the Rive, and thinning — before the harvest begins.
Visitors to our hills at this time of year often expect to find the harvest already underway, but September is still a long way off. Yet right now, among the rows of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, a quiet and essential battle is being fought — one that will decide the quality of the Prosecco we'll drink next year.
Leaf Removal (Sfogliatura)
Walking through the rows of the Giovani Dolomiti, you'll notice work that often goes unnoticed by non-experts: leaf removal. Winemakers manually strip away some of the leaves around the grape clusters, allowing sun and air to reach the berries. This isn't simply about appearance — it means less humidity, less risk of mold, and healthier grapes when harvest time finally arrives.
Topping (Cimatura)
At the same time, winemakers trim the tops of the shoots, halting the plant's vegetative growth. This redirects the vine's energy away from leaves and toward the grape clusters — a crucial step for the quality we'll later find in the glass.
Mowing the Rive
Then there's a job rarely talked about, yet one that anyone who truly knows these slopes recognizes as among the most exhausting: mowing the grass between the rows. On the Rive — our historic vineyard parcels on the steepest slopes — this work often has to be done by hand or with small brush cutters, under the summer sun, walking back and forth for hours on terrain no machine can reach.
It's not just maintenance: the grass between the rows holds the soil in place, prevents erosion, and regulates moisture. But the price of this balance is paid by the arms and backs of the winemakers, day after day, in one of the most quietly grueling jobs in the entire Prosecco production chain — precisely on the most difficult Rive, where the highest-quality grapes are often born.
Thinning (Diradamento)
In some vineyards — especially the small family-run producers I bring you to visit — thinning is also practiced: some grape clusters are removed to concentrate quality in those that remain. It's a choice that reflects the philosophy of those who prefer less quantity but more quality — exactly the kind of producers I love introducing you to during my tours.
Why I'm Telling You This Now
When you come visit me among the grassy terraces of this area, even if it's not yet harvest time, you'll see these everyday gestures that tell the real story of wine: not a single day of picking, but months of quiet, patient care.
The harvest will be the moment of celebration. But it's right now, in these summer days, that the wine that will sparkle in your glass is being decided.
Oriana Balliana
Local Sommelier & Private Tour Driver Ori Prosecco Driver | Oriana NCC 📞 +39 340 422 7040 📧 oballiana@gmail.com 🌐 o Prosecco Hills Wine tour near Venice