The harvest was completed only a few days ago, and we are already enthusiastically returning to work for another important project: uprooting an old vineyard and preparing the ground for a new one. This time of the year the conditions are ideal for getting the soil ready in preparation for the planting of new vines. Our very first task is ploughing, using a deep plough that reaches up to one meter in depth, especially in soils rich in clay. Deep movement in the soil facilitates the rooting of the vines and shortens the time it takes for their development. The ploughed land actually improves the soil’s oxygenation and water drainage and retention. Ploughing also allows us to remove the old roots of plants present in the ground and forces rocks and stones to resurface. Care must be taken in the subsequent phase of leveling the ground to eliminate any areas of water stagnation that could cause an excess of moisture, which would be harmful to the vines.