As we roll into winter, we are beginning to prune the vines. Bud damage from extreme cold is always a threat for us: temperatures that drop into the negatives or extreme temperature swings can cause serious damage. It is a tricky balance of workload and risk management. We can adjust our pruning to compensate if we have not already pruned. The tricky part is that pruning needs to be done by early April to allow time for tying before bud break. It is a slow task, so we have to project how long it will take and set our start date accordingly. That means we must begin now and have some blocks completed before we are past the riskiest time of year, which is usually February. We start with less sensitive varieties and leave the tender ones for last. Fingers crossed for a mild winter!
January is a quiet month for the winemaking team. Most of the wines have completed their alcoholic fermentations, and many have also begun their journey through malolactic conversion, which should finish over the next month or two. The majority of the winemaking team's time will be spent on post-harvest equipment maintenance and prepping the bottling line for use in the coming months. Blending trials for Rosé, Vignoles, and Bubble Riesling will also take place during January.
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