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The objective of this work was to select a training system suitable for grapevines grown in areas where vine burial is practiced for protection against winter chill (especially as it is practised in the arid/semiarid areas of northern China). We evaluate the influence of a new training system crawled cordon training (CCT) and compare it with a traditional training system independent long-stem pruning (ILSP). The study considers fruit quality, sensory evaluation of wines and an analysis of labour practices at Rongchen Chateau in China during the years 2011, 2012 and 2013.

During the first three years under CCT, average yield was 39.69 % lower than under ILSP but CCT showed higher yield stability. The ripeness of grapes under CCT was higher than under ILSP, so sensory evaluation of CCT wines was also higher. Moreover, CCT also reduced the labour involved for winter pruning, summer pruning and harvesting by 24.4 %, 25.0 % and 37.5 %, respectively. This study shows that under CCT grape quality, yield stability and wine quality were significantly higher than under ILSP, while labour inputs (costs) were significantly lower.