Guyot, Jules

Guyot, Jules, respected 19th century French scientist with a particular interest in viticulture and winemaking whose name lives on in the system of cane pruning which he promulgated. His practical treatises on growing vines and making wine were translated into English in the second half of the 19th century and are enthusiastically followed by new world vignerons.

Although cane pruning had been used in France for a very long period, it was promoted by Dr Guyot in 1860. The basic principle of Guyot pruning is to leave six- to ten-bud canes and for each a single two-bud spur at the base; shoots from this spur form the cane the following year (see pruning). The Guyot simple form, also known as single Guyot, has one cane and one spur. The length of the cane (in French long bois or aste), or at least the number of buds thereon, may be fixed by appellation laws. Guyot double, or double Guyot, the most common vine-training system in Bordeaux, has two canes and two spurs, and the canes are trained to each side. Sometimes the canes are arched, as in the Jura. Galet lists regional variations of the Guyot.