Both topic and data held by this manuscript are very interesting and important for this special issue, as the impact of pre-planting viticultural earthworks was seldom addressed in the literature: the author's responses indicate that they have sufficient material to improve the manuscript, so that they should significantly improve it in the revised version to come, provided they address the referee's suggestions and critics.
All referees share critics about the lack of sufficient description of “new vineyard” and “old vineyard” plots environments. Fig. 1-A should indicate the map scale and orientation or could be completed by a map showing topographic details (slope and altitude), soil map units if available.
The lack of description of grass species is also shared by reviewers, and in general the authors are invited to give more details, for instance on management practices (copper treatments, machine traffic), as they did in their responses to referee’s comments.
The varied questions raised by all referees and inclusion of author's responses to their comments should contribute to strengthen demonstration and discussion.
Additional remarks:
-What type of compost was used? Where did it come from? What was its dry weight?
-Please add some more information about the initial soil characteristics of both plots (such as depth, initial CaCO3 content…) before preplanting earthworks if available.
-Table 1: please specify in title on which depth and which horizons are these properties described? 15 cm?

Dear author,
Thank you for all your detailed answers to comments and all your corrections. I found your article very original for both viticulture and soil science.

Dear authors , it is a pleasure for me to let you know that your article has been finally accepted for publication in SOIL. Congratulations and thanks for your contribution to our new journal.

Jorge