Background and Aims Some grapevine cultivars such as Malbec have unstable yield, due to poor fruitset or fruitlet abscission. The phenomenon is known as ‘shatter’ and this study aims to explore the potential of applying the shoot girdling technique at flowering, to direct the carbohydrate partitioning towards inflorescences and reduce shatter. Methods and Results Fruitful Malbec shoots were girdled above the apical bunch, below the basal bunch, double girdled or not girdled (Control) during 2017 and 2018. Most vegetative growth parameters were unaffected, but shoots widened and the leaf ...