It’s always tricky to decide when to prune the vines. Too early and you risk frost damage. Too late and the plant wastes energy on growth that’s just going to get cut anyway. The unseasonably warm winter has our plants waking from dormancy earlier than usual — we’re already seeing buds and leaves — so we decided it was time.
Pruning is one of the most important things we do all year. Every cut is a decision — we’re shaping how the vine grows, how many grape clusters it’ll produce, and ultimately the quality of the fruit come harvest. It also helps the vine stay healthy by opening things up for more sunlight and better air circulation.
People are often surprised by how aggressively vines get pruned. We typically leave 5–6 spurs — each about 2–3″ long — on each of the two horizontal arms of a vine. Each spur produces 2–3 canes where leaves and clusters eventually grow. Too many or too long, and you get more volume but lower quality fruit.
We’re fortunate to have an experienced team that always seems to get it just right.