Winter in the Vineyard: Tying Down the Vines

Although the vineyard can look fairly quiet at this time of year, there’s a great deal happening behind the scenes.

Winter is one of the most important periods in the vineyard calendar, and one of our key jobs during these colder months is tying down the grape vines. Unlike trees, grape vines can’t support themselves, so the fruiting canes are carefully arched and tied along the trellis wires to give them the structure they need for the growing season ahead.

This work begins once pruning is complete and the old canopy has been removed. February is the ideal moment to do it, as the vines are just starting to come out of winter dormancy. With sap beginning to flow again, the canes become more flexible and far less likely to snap - an important detail when you’re working with something that will (hopefully) be carrying fruit later in the year.

Even so, it’s a task that requires patience and a steady hand. Each cane has been carefully selected during pruning, and every one matters. If a cane snaps, that’s one less shoot that could produce grapes come harvest time. Our vineyard team therefore works slowly and carefully as they move along each row, gently bending and tying each cane into place.

These early-season tasks may not attract much attention, but they play a crucial role in setting the vines up for the months ahead. The way vines are trained and supported now influences how the canopy grows, how sunlight reaches the grapes, and ultimately the quality of the fruit that will be harvested later in the year.

It’s all part of the quiet, meticulous work that eventually ends up in your glass.

We’ll be sharing more seasonal updates from the vineyard as the year unfolds.