The tying of the vines or acanage involves tying the base of the vine to a stake or to the wire in order to keep the vine upright. The stake also protects vines from machinery during ploughing.
The base of the vines is not systematically attached in this way. It is often carried out on an ad-hoc basis to protect those that need it.
The ties can be made of various materials. At Chateau Latour, 'vime' is used for vine tying. This is a strand of wicker, which provides flexibility and resistance. The knot made with the wicker requires a specific folding technique.
The tying or bending of the branches is an important stage as it maintains the cane's position in the trellis system. It is relatively quick and easy to perform. A code of good practice ensures optimal results:
The tie should be placed before the last node to allow the tie to be held by that node. The cane should be attached as close to the wire as possible.
Tie the coldest plots last. There is a phenomenon known as correlative bud inhibition, which can be significant when the shoots are attached pointing upwards: the buds at the top will tend to open first and this delays the buds opening further down the cane. Consequently, this reduces the damage in the event of a late frost as the lower buds will not yet have opened.