Frost nights in the spring when the tiny buds have begun to appear are a recurring scourge for many winegrowers. Arnaud Thomassin at Château de France in Pessac-Léognan, a producer we have followed for many years, has hopefully solved the problem in his vineyard.
Of his 40 hectares, ten are now protected thanks to three new wind machines with propellers ordered from New Zealand. The ten hectares are surrounded by forest that retains the cold, and the vines here are therefore the most exposed.
The new wind machines with a propeller that sets the air in motion are Arnaud’s best solution to the frost problem. It is a significant investment – one machine costs around 50,000 euros – but now frost should no longer be a problem. One wind machine protects about 6 to 8 hectares. These machines from New Zealand are both less noisy and less energy-consuming than such devices usually are.
Read more: LeRepublicain
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