{"id":106216,"date":"2026-10-11T01:39:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-10T23:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/suckling-and-simonit-saving-old-vines-to-make-great-wines\/"},"modified":"2026-10-11T01:40:50","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T23:40:50","slug":"suckling-and-simonit-saving-old-vines-to-make-great-wines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/en\/suckling-and-simonit-saving-old-vines-to-make-great-wines\/","title":{"rendered":"Suckling and Simonit: &#8220;Saving old vines to make great wines&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<div class=\"align wp-block-bssb-social-share\" id=\"bssbSocialShare-1\" data-attributes=\"{&quot;socials&quot;:[{&quot;networkType&quot;:&quot;socialNetworks&quot;,&quot;network&quot;:&quot;facebook&quot;,&quot;isUpIcon&quot;:false,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;class&quot;:&quot;fab fa-facebook-f&quot;,&quot;color&quot;:&quot;#4527a4&quot;},&quot;upIcon&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:null,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}},{&quot;networkType&quot;:&quot;socialNetworks&quot;,&quot;network&quot;:&quot;linkedin&quot;,&quot;isUpIcon&quot;:false,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;class&quot;:&quot;fab fa-linkedin-in&quot;,&quot;color&quot;:&quot;#4527a4&quot;},&quot;upIcon&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:null,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}},{&quot;networkType&quot;:&quot;mobileMessenger&quot;,&quot;network&quot;:&quot;whatsapp&quot;,&quot;isUpIcon&quot;:false,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;class&quot;:&quot;fab fa-whatsapp&quot;,&quot;color&quot;:&quot;#4527a4&quot;},&quot;upIcon&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:null,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}}],&quot;theme&quot;:&quot;theme2&quot;,&quot;background&quot;:{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;solid&quot;,&quot;color&quot;:&quot;#0000&quot;},&quot;border&quot;:{&quot;width&quot;:&quot;2px&quot;,&quot;color&quot;:&quot;#4527a4&quot;},&quot;shadow&quot;:{&quot;hOffset&quot;:&quot;0px&quot;,&quot;vOffset&quot;:&quot;0px&quot;},&quot;align&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;alignment&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;28px&quot;,&quot;gap&quot;:&quot;14px&quot;,&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;10px&quot;,&quot;margin&quot;:&quot;10px&quot;,&quot;direction&quot;:&quot;row&quot;}\">\r\n\t<div class=\"bssbStyle\"><\/div>\r\n\r\n\t<ul class=\"bssbSocialShare\">\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<li class=\"icon icon-0\" data-social=\"facebook\" \t>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-facebook-f\"><\/i>\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<li class=\"icon icon-1\" data-social=\"linkedin\" \t>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-linkedin-in\"><\/i>\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<li class=\"icon icon-2\" data-social=\"whatsapp\" \t>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class=\"fab fa-whatsapp\"><\/i>\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-ai-summarize yoast-ai-summarize\"><h5>IN BRIEF<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list yoast-ai-summarize-list\">\n<li>The &#8220;Great Vineyards for Life&#8221; masterclass at Wine Vision by Open Balkan in Belgrade presented techniques for managing ancient vineyards and ensuring their longevity through careful pruning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>James Suckling shared his experience winemaking Pinot Noir from the Mirae vineyard, highlighting the importance of vine care for quality wines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marco Simonit emphasized that pruning must contribute to plant health, not just remove old wood.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Suckling noted a proactive attitude among Serbian winemakers, eager to improve their agricultural practices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The concept of vine longevity is fundamental to wine quality, representing an agricultural responsibility built over time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is it better to uproot an old vineyard or invest in its longevity<\/strong> through agronomic management capable of <strong>restoring vitality to the plants?<\/strong> This was the central question of &#8220;<em><strong>Great Vineyards for Life<\/strong><\/em>,&#8221; the masterclass featuring <strong>James Suckling and Marco Simonit at Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026<\/strong> yesterday, October 10, in Belgrade. An event dedicated to vine health, pruning, and the human role in building great vineyards destined to last.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Turning theory into concrete experience was the <strong>tasting of two Pinot Noirs produced by Suckling himself in New Zealand<\/strong>, from the <strong>2023 and 2025 vintages, presented for the first time in Europe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two harvests that tell the story of a winemaking project&#8217;s evolution, where the American critic decided to directly apply the teachings of the Friulian pruning master. <strong>Tighter and more &#8220;tired,&#8221; the 2023<\/strong> at the start of the agronomic journey. <strong>Far more expressive and vital, the 2025<\/strong>, the latest vintage.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mirae-il-vigneto-di-suckling-che-non-doveva-sopravvivere\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>MIRAE: SUCKLING&#8217;S VINEYARD THAT WASN&#8217;T SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The open-air laboratory is <strong>Mirae Vineyard in Martinborough<\/strong>, in the New Zealand region of <strong>Wairarapa<\/strong>. A property of just <strong>1.8 hectares<\/strong>, purchased in January 2023 by James Suckling and his wife Marie Kim-Suckling. The vineyard includes <strong>old Pinot Noir vines<\/strong>, mostly planted in 1986, some of which are ungrafted.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time of purchase, <strong>Suckling was advised to replace the plants<\/strong>, considered too old and compromised. Instead, the decision was made to <strong>attempt a recovery, entrusting Marco Simonit<\/strong> with defining an agronomic program capable of guiding the vines into a new phase of their existence.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is no coincidence that the property was named <strong>Mirae, a Korean word meaning &#8220;future.&#8221;<\/strong> A name that summarizes the purpose of the investment: preserving the existing plant heritage rather than starting from scratch.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The work focused primarily on pruning, <strong>shoot selection, and the progressive reorganization of the plant structure<\/strong>. According to Suckling&#8217;s own documentation, these interventions favored the recovery of vegetative vigor, better sap flow management, and greater production balance.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Winemaking is entrusted to <strong>Helen Masters<\/strong>, winemaker at <strong>Ata Rangi<\/strong>. The 2025 Pinot Noir was also produced through fermentation in open containers and amphorae, with subsequent aging in terracotta and wood.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"h-marco-simonit-il-compito-del-potatore-e-costruire-legno-vivo\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>MARCO SIMONIT: THE PRUNER&#8217;S TASK IS TO BUILD LIVE WOOD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The heart of Marco Simonit&#8217;s &#8220;lesson&#8221; was the <strong>relationship between pruning and vine longevity<\/strong>. A concept that overturns a purely subtractive view of the pruner&#8217;s intervention. &#8220;The pruner&#8217;s role is not just to remove wood produced in the previous year or season,&#8221; Simonit explained. &#8220;Their primary goal must be to <strong>add a quantity of live wood to the plant&#8217;s structure every year<\/strong>.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pruning thus becomes a process of progressive construction<\/strong>. Branches must develop within the available space, respecting the distances between vines, rows, and the characteristics of the training system. It is not about identifying a universally superior architecture. Simonit also used the example of <strong>alberello-trained vines<\/strong>, specifying that the choice of form alone is not enough to determine the quality and longevity of the vineyard.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The decisive element is the continuity of growth over time<\/strong>. From the trunk structure to the branches and the position of the spurs, every intervention modifies the plant&#8217;s evolution. The principle is to <strong>preserve live wood and favor functional sap flows<\/strong>. Pruning should therefore not be considered an isolated annual operation, but a sequence of decisions influencing vine health for decades.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"wp-block-uagb-image-gallery uagb-block-df195229     \"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery spectra-image-gallery__layout--carousel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-slick-carousel uagb-block-df195229\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-wrapper\" data-spectra-gallery-image-id=\"106210\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media spectra-image-gallery__media--carousel\">\n\t\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t\t<source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-2.jpg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-2-840x640.jpg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail--carousel\" src=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-2.jpg\" alt=\"Suckling and Simonit Saving old vines to make great wines Masterclass Great Vineyards for Life Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026 Belgrade pinot noir mirae vineyard martinborough (2)\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-blurrer\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption-wrapper spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption-wrapper--overlay\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption--overlay\">\n\t\t\t\t\tSuckling and Simonit: &#8220;Saving old vines to make great wines&#8221;. The Great Vineyards for Life Masterclass at Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026. Belgrade. Tasting of Mirae Vineyard Pinot Noir Martinborough\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-wrapper\" data-spectra-gallery-image-id=\"106212\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media spectra-image-gallery__media--carousel\">\n\t\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t\t<source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-4.jpg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-4-840x640.jpg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail--carousel\" src=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-4.jpg\" alt=\"Suckling and Simonit Saving old vines to make great wines Masterclass Great Vineyards for Life Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026 Belgrade pinot noir mirae vineyard martinborough (4)\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-blurrer\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption-wrapper spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption-wrapper--overlay\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption--overlay\">\n\t\t\t\t\tSuckling and Simonit: &#8220;Saving old vines to make great wines&#8221;. The Great Vineyards for Life Masterclass at Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026. Belgrade. Tasting of Mirae Vineyard Pinot Noir Martinborough\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-wrapper\" data-spectra-gallery-image-id=\"106211\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media spectra-image-gallery__media--carousel\">\n\t\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t\t<source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-3.jpg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-3-840x640.jpg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail--carousel\" src=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-3.jpg\" alt=\"Suckling and Simonit Saving old vines to make great wines Masterclass Great Vineyards for Life Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026 Belgrade pinot noir mirae vineyard martinborough (3)\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-blurrer\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption-wrapper spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption-wrapper--overlay\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption spectra-image-gallery__media-thumbnail-caption--overlay\">\n\t\t\t\t\tSuckling and Simonit: &#8220;Saving old vines to make great wines&#8221;. The Great Vineyards for Life Masterclass at Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026. Belgrade. Tasting of Mirae Vineyard Pinot Noir Martinborough\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='spectra-image-gallery__control-lightbox' tabindex='0'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper spectra-image-gallery__control-lightbox--main\" dir=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"swiper-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-2.jpg\" alt=\"Suckling and Simonit Saving old vines to make great wines Masterclass Great Vineyards for Life Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026 Belgrade pinot noir mirae vineyard martinborough (2)\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-lazy-preloader swiper-lazy-preloader-white\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"swiper-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-4.jpg\" alt=\"Suckling and Simonit Saving old vines to make great wines Masterclass Great Vineyards for Life Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026 Belgrade pinot noir mirae vineyard martinborough (4)\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-lazy-preloader swiper-lazy-preloader-white\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"swiper-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.winemag.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Suckling-e-Simonit-Salviamo-le-vecchie-vigne-per-fare-grandi-vini-Masterclass-Great-Vineyards-for-Life-Wine-Vision-by-Open-Balkan-2026-Belgrado-pinot-noir-mirae-vineyard-martinborough-3.jpg\" alt=\"Suckling and Simonit Saving old vines to make great wines Masterclass Great Vineyards for Life Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026 Belgrade pinot noir mirae vineyard martinborough (3)\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-lazy-preloader swiper-lazy-preloader-white\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-button-next\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-button-prev\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class='spectra-image-gallery__control-lightbox--close' aria-label=\"Close\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox= \"0 0 320 512\"><path d=\"M310.6 361.4c12.5 12.5 12.5 32.75 0 45.25C304.4 412.9 296.2 416 288 416s-16.38-3.125-22.62-9.375L160 301.3L54.63 406.6C48.38 412.9 40.19 416 32 416S15.63 412.9 9.375 406.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.75 0-45.25l105.4-105.4L9.375 150.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.75 0-45.25s32.75-12.5 45.25 0L160 210.8l105.4-105.4c12.5-12.5 32.75-12.5 45.25 0s12.5 32.75 0 45.25l-105.4 105.4L310.6 361.4z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h2 id=\"h-la-viticoltura-naturale-non-esiste-e-agricoltura\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>&#8220;NATURAL VITICULTURE DOES NOT EXIST: IT IS AGRICULTURE&#8221;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Simonit&#8217;s reflection on the concept of naturalness was particularly significant. &#8220;<strong>I am often asked what I think of natural vineyards and wines<\/strong>. I think we are still talking about agriculture,&#8221; Simonit confessed, &#8220;it is not nature. Have you ever seen a vine in its natural state? A natural vine is a climbing plant.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This statement should not be read as a challenge to the oenological practices associated with natural wine. Rather, Simonit focused his reasoning on the <strong>relationship between cultivation and human intervention<\/strong>. A vine growing spontaneously in a forest follows profoundly different dynamics than a plant trained to produce wine grapes. A vineyard is inevitably an environment modified and managed by humans.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This does not mean ignoring nature. On the contrary, according to Simonit, the viticulturist&#8217;s task is to <strong>understand the ecosystem in which they operate and seek to work in balance with it<\/strong>. This is where the set of agronomic practices\u2014pruning, shoot selection, canopy management, and continuous observation of plant conditions\u2014becomes important.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Interventions must be considered part of a single system<\/strong>. Good vineyard work therefore requires time, research, and a constant presence among the rows. <strong>Longevity is not a characteristic that can be achieved through a single technique<\/strong>, but the result of consistent and continuous management.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"h-suckling-in-serbia-vogliono-sapere-come-migliorare\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>SUCKLING: &#8220;IN SERBIA THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW TO IMPROVE&#8221;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the masterclass, a comparison emerged between the openness to innovation of Serbian winemakers and the attitude Suckling has encountered in other countries. The American critic recounted how, in regions with long winemaking traditions, including France and Italy, <strong>Simonit&#8217;s indications can meet resistance linked to customs<\/strong> passed down from one generation to the next.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;No, no, my grandfather did it this way,&#8221; is one of the responses Suckling reported hearing when proposing to modify an established practice. In Serbia, during visits in the days preceding the masterclass, the critic observed a different attitude. &#8220;<strong>Just tell us how we can do better<\/strong>,&#8221; Suckling reported, summarizing the local producers&#8217; reaction to the guidance received.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An approach that struck him for the speed with which winemakers proved willing to listen and consider suggested changes. The observations concerned concrete aspects of vine management, such as <strong>the number of shoots left on the nodes<\/strong>, bud selection, and other practices capable of influencing vegetative balance.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;What I found really interesting in the last few days,&#8221; Suckling emphasized, &#8220;is <strong>this authentic will to make things better<\/strong>.&#8221; A willingness that, in his experience, represents a favorable element for the qualitative development of Serbian viticulture.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"h-dal-vigneto-al-bicchiere-il-senso-di-great-vineyards-for-life\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FROM VINEYARD TO GLASS: THE MEANING OF &#8220;GREAT VINEYARDS FOR LIFE&#8221;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mirae project offers a concrete interpretation of the <strong>philosophy shared by Simonit and Suckling<\/strong>. On one hand, the preservation of viticultural heritage; on the other, the search for <strong>quality that must find expression in the wine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Suckling, who has been evaluating wines worldwide for decades, producing Pinot Noir directly meant <strong>dealing with decisions that long precede the moment of tasting<\/strong>. Vine management, the plants&#8217; response to interventions, the conditions of individual harvests, and oenological choices all become part of a complex process, of which the wine is the final result.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the critic also recalled an apparently simple principle: a great wine must be pleasant to drink. <strong>Elegance, freshness, and the ability to invite a second glass<\/strong> remain central elements in qualitative judgment, alongside complexity and structure.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is <strong>a concept linked to Simonit&#8217;s agronomic vision<\/strong>. The goal is not just to achieve a great harvest, but to preserve the conditions so the vine can continue to produce quality grapes in subsequent years. The Wine Vision Open Balkan masterclass in Belgrade thus challenged a still-widespread reflex: <strong>considering plant aging a sufficient reason to proceed with their uprooting<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Suckling&#8217;s New Zealand experience suggests an alternative path. Before replacing an old vineyard, one must understand its conditions and evaluate whether different agronomic management can restore its balance and vitality. <strong>Vine longevity thus becomes an integral part of the concept of wine quality.<\/strong> Not just a heritage to preserve, but an agronomic responsibility built year after year.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The &#8220;Great Vineyards for Life&#8221; masterclass at Wine Vision by Open Balkan 2026, 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