Continuing through the museum, you'll find images illustrating the various local grafting techniques. The first, the bud grafting technique, is shown in the open book displayed in the showcase. The second most common grafting technique is the bud grafting, also known as the eye grafting technique, as shown in the photograph. In the first case, a sharp, symmetrical bud is prepared (either manually with a knife or with a workshop tool). In the second case, a bud is cut, as shown in the image, and then either the bud or the shoot is inserted into the rootstock. Afterward, it must be tied with raffia to prevent contact with the air and allow the plant to take and sprout.
This is a very laborious task that requires practice and considerable skill. Another crucial field task is pruning. Pruning consists of reducing both the number and length of the canes so that the vine produces fewer bunches, but these bunches are thicker and of higher quality.
The grape variety also influences the pruning method chosen. For example, the Albariño variety produces fruit on the longest canes, that is, from the fourth bud onward. It is the winegrower's responsibility to know which variety they are working with in order to make the cut further back or further forward in relation to the woody part of the vine. Pruning is carried out every year, with "winter pruning" or "dry pruning" taking place from December onwards, and "green pruning" in spring. Removing canes and branches is essential to prolonging the vine's lifespan.
