tendone, the Italian name for the overhead vine-training system widely used in southern Italy, especially in abruzzo. It is also common in South America, where it is used for both table grapes and wine grapes, and is called parral (Argentina) or parron (Chile). English terms used include both arbour and pergola, although the system is little used in English-speaking countries.
The vines are normally trained with trunks about 2 m/6.5 ft high and a system of wooden frames and cross wires supports the foliage and fruit. Typically in Abruzzo the vines are planted in a 2.5 x 2.5 m square (up to 3 x 3 m for trebbiano) and from each staked vine four shoots are trained in different directions along the wires.
