Do grapevines love Mozart?

[Robin Garr]

How Mozart's music is improving the grapes in one Italian vineyard

CBS NEWS
This piece originally aired October 12, 2016.

Row after row of Sangiovese grapevines cover the hills of Montalcino in Tuscany, where famed Brunello wine is made.

But one of these vineyards is a bit different. The grapes here are serenaded all day, every day, by classical music, reports CBS News correspondent Seth Doane.

“Imagine the world without music!” said Giancarlo Cignozzi. But Giancarlo doesn’t have to, at least not while he’s here.

“I suppose that the music can improve the life of the humanity, animals too. But why not the plants?” Giancarlo said.

To try to answer his own question, he started pumping Mozart into a section of his vineyard: “Il Paradiso di Frassina.” He found the vines closer to the music grew bigger and toward the source of the sound.

Click for the rest of the story ...
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mozart-clas ... world-news

[David M. Bueker]

He needs a control. He should play Radiohead in another vineyard. If the vines struggle and grow away from the music source then we'll know.

[Robin Garr]

He needs a control. He should play Radiohead in another vineyard. If the vines struggle and grow away from the music source then we'll know.

That'll work, or Nickelback.

Yealands vineyards in New Zealand have speakers on poles throughout their vineyards playing classical music, De Morgenzon in Suth Africa say "We pipe Baroque music through our vineyards 24x7 and believe that the power of music positively influences the ripening process.."

Probably like biodynamics, the practitioners believe in its effect, and don't feel the need for comparative tests.

The truly amazing thing is that not only do the vines turn towards the speaker, but the grape sugar content also increases, the insect pests are confused, and the birds are scared away. It is almost as if Mozart wrote the music with viticulture in mind.

I am sure Peter is right that the growers just believe, and see no need for proper experiments. As long as they don't expect me to believe too, that is fine.

Some might find the following link interesting

https://dengarden.com/gardening/the-eff ... ant-growth

Salute

Very interesting, Victor