In the growing season near harvest, the entire middles are covered with foliage and the fruit is in the fruiting zone near the cordon. The overhead wires positions the vigorous foliage off the ground and exposed to the light. These systems can work only where labor is abundant and low cost. The vineyards are flood irrigated only four times a year via an irrigation district from the river or wells. The soil is 60 to 100 feet of clay top soil with no sub soil.
Weed control is via cultivation.
The fruit are graded into three retail grades, packed in Styrofoam boxes, stored at 40 degrees F and shipped to Mexico City and other markets in refrigerated trucks within three days. Yields are over four tons per acre on the bilateral and Italian system and over 10 tons on the Argentine overhead system. The grape station has a full staff of viticulture scientists. Edward Madero, a Montpellier, France trained Ph.D. is in charge of viticulture research. The staff also includes PhD scientists for entomology and plant pathology.