Cordon Training (Bilateral & Cordon de Royat)

Cordon training is a spur-pruned, permanent training system in which the grapevine develops one or more woody horizontal arms (cordons) extending from a main trunk, with short fruiting spurs arising from buds along the cordon each season. The cordons may be unilateral (one arm) or bilateral (two arms), with the bilateral form resembling the letter T. The most celebrated unilateral form is the Cordon de Royat, named after the commune of Royat in Puy-de-Dôme, where it was developed and proposed by Lefebvre, director of the local French agricultural school, and has been in use since the late 19th century. The bilateral double cordon is the widely used counterpart, extending two arms of equal length in opposite directions along the vine row.

• Unilateral cordon (Cordon de Royat): one arm extending in a single direction, bearing 4 to 8 spurs each with 2 to 4 buds
• Bilateral cordon (double cordon): two arms extending in opposite directions, with up to 5 spurs per arm rising from each cordon
• Spurs are positioned at regular intervals along the cordon, typically 10 to 20 cm apart depending on the appellation and variety
• In France, the Cordon de Royat is also known as Cordone Speronato in Italy and Cordón Simple in Spain

Establishing a cordon begins in the first one to two years after planting, when the goal of pruning is to develop the permanent vine structures, including trunk and cordons. Once the vine reaches the desired trunk height, lateral buds are forced to develop one arm (unilateral) or two arms (bilateral) along the training wire. The cordon is extended progressively each year until the desired length is reached. After the permanent framework is established, annual management consists of dormant spur pruning: all fruiting canes are cut back to short spurs of 2 to 3 buds, creating a predictable and repeatable canopy structure. Because no long canes need to be tied down each year, spur-pruned cordons are inherently simpler to manage and can be pre-pruned mechanically.

• Year 1 to 2: Establish trunk by training a vigorous vertical shoot; select lateral shoots to begin cordon formation along the fruiting wire
• Year 2 to 3: Extend cordon progressively along the wire; remove competing growth and tie down selected shoots
• Year 3 onward: Stable production phase; dormant spur pruning to 2 to 3 buds per spur, with removal of dead wood and periodic spur renewal
• Mechanical pre-pruning is practical for large-scale cordon vineyards, with skilled workers completing final cuts; cordon requires fewer trellis posts than cane-pruned systems

The spur-pruned cordon system controls vine productivity through strict bud counts per vine, which is a primary tool for regulating yield and concentrating grape quality. Appellation laws formalize this: in Burgundy, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay trained on cordon are limited to 4 spurs per vine, each pruned to 2 buds, a discipline that guarantees low yields essential to producing high-quality Pinot Noir. In Champagne, the Cordon de Royat is specifically favored for Pinot Noir because the system suits the variety's productive nature and supports the even ripening that whole-bunch pressing demands. The horizontal canopy architecture, consistent spur placement, and improved airflow through the fruit zone all contribute to uniform ripening and reduce the incidence of fungal diseases such as botrytis.

• Regulated bud counts under appellation rules directly limit yield, concentrating flavors and improving phenolic maturity
• Improved airflow through the horizontal cordon architecture helps reduce fungal disease pressure compared to dense, unmanaged canopies
• Even spur spacing supports uniform fruit ripening across the vine, simplifying harvest timing decisions
• Spur-pruned systems are common in warmer regions where vigorous growth benefits from the consistent bud-load discipline that cordon training provides

Cordon training in its various forms is found across both Old World and New World wine regions, though its specific application differs markedly by region. In Champagne, the Cordon de Royat is one of only four legally permitted training systems and is the preferred choice for Pinot Noir; all vineyards rated between 90 and 100 percent on the echelle des crus must be trained on either Cordon de Royat or Taille Chablis. In Burgundy, cordon-trained vines for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are capped at 4 spurs per vine by AOC regulation. The bilateral double cordon is associated with Beaujolais, Bordeaux, and Corsica in France, and is widely used in warm New World regions where mechanization and lower vine density help manage vigorous growth and reduce input costs.

• Champagne: Cordon de Royat is one of four permitted systems; considered finest for Pinot Noir; strict rules on cordon height (max 60 cm), spur spacing (min 15 cm), and bud count (2 per spur)
• Burgundy: Cordon training limited to 4 spurs (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay) or 8 spurs (Gamay) per vine under AOC rules; 2-bud spurs standard
• France (bilateral/double cordon): Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Corsica; known as Cordon double; suited to lower-density plantings in warmer climates
• New World: Bilateral cordon widely adopted across California, Australia, and Washington State for mechanized, high-volume vineyards where spur pruning reduces labor costs

The Cordon de Royat holds a special status in Champagne as the definitive training system for Pinot Noir, used by growers across the Montagne de Reims and the Vallee de la Marne. The system is a spur-trained version of Guyot Simple, with a single permanent horizontal cordon positioned no more than 60 cm above the soil. Shoots must be spaced at least 15 cm apart, and each shoot is permitted only 2 buds after pruning (or 3 buds for Chardonnay, since the first bud of that variety is infertile). The system's retention of substantial old wood is also valued in Champagne for helping the vine build resistance to the region's frequent spring frosts. Alongside it, Taille Chablis dominates for Chardonnay plantings, while Guyot and Vallée de la Marne are used for other varieties and sites.

• Cordon de Royat is a spur-pruned, unilateral system; considered the benchmark for Pinot Noir in Champagne
• Single cordon, positioned no more than 60 cm above the ground; shoots spaced at least 15 cm apart
• 2 buds per spur for Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier; 3 buds permitted for Chardonnay (first bud is sterile)
• All vineyards rated 90 to 100 percent on the echelle des crus must use Cordon de Royat or Taille Chablis

Cordon training's primary practical strength is the consistency of its permanent framework. Because spur positions are fixed along the cordon, annual pruning can be partially mechanized: unskilled pruners can pre-prune spurs to a rough length while skilled workers make final cuts, improving labor efficiency compared to cane-pruning systems such as Guyot, which require selecting and tying new fruiting canes each dormant season. Cordon also requires fewer trellis posts than cane-pruned systems. However, the permanent woody cordon accumulates old wood over time, which can harbour fungal and bacterial trunk pathogens, increasing the risk of vine decline if spur positions are not renewed carefully. Cordons are also vulnerable to winter damage in cold climates; when cordons are severely injured, replacement by retraining a new shoot from near the trunk base is the standard corrective measure. Delayed pruning, which exploits apical dominance to delay budbreak on spur buds, is a useful frost-mitigation strategy in cordon vineyards.

• Spur pruning allows partial mechanical pre-pruning, reducing overall labor requirements compared to cane-pruned systems; no annual cane tying required
• Cordon systems require fewer trellis posts than cane-pruned systems such as Guyot
• Old wood on established cordons can harbour fungal and bacterial trunk disease pathogens; spur renewal and careful wound management are essential for vine longevity
• Delayed pruning exploits apical dominance to delay budbreak on retained spur buds, reducing spring frost risk in vulnerable sites