A bit of a trim to keep our vines in top condition

During August we work hard to get our growing vines and grapes in the best condition to ensure that we get the best crop when it is harvest time.

We have been going up and down the rows, vine by vine, selecting shoots that are ideally a hand-span apart for fruiting this year. We also select shoots that will be suitable as arms for next year, to ensure that we will have some in the correct position and of the correct thickness. We then remove the excess shoots to reduce crowding and to concentrate the vine’s energy into those remaining. It is meticulous work, as we need to be very careful not to break any selected for this year’s growth or next year’s arms. If we get it right, our vines will be in a much stronger position to produce the best crop possible.

We have also been removing a few of the leaves around the fruit zone to expose the flowers. We take off the bigger, darker leaves, as these are older and will be replaced by fresh new leaves anyway. This needs to be completed on every vine in the vineyard before the second set of fruiting wires can be raised.

This canopy management is vital, and ideally should happen before flowering commences or the vines will not get the essential sunlight and airflow that will ensure the fruit is able to grow. Unlike in warmer wine-producing countries, the damper, slightly cooler climate here in the UK means that, without such canopy management, we are more susceptible to diseases such as mildew that can blight an entire crop.

This month we have also seen the first signs of veraison in the vineyard. This is when the vines start to put energy into ripening and sweetening the grapes. This is more obvious in our red varieties, as the grapes start to change in colour from green to purple, but it happens to both red and white grapes. From the point of veraison, it will be anywhere between 30 to 70 days until the grapes will be ready to harvest.

 

Stock up for August bank holiday

The August bank holiday is fast approaching, and good weather should give plenty of opportunity for a BBQ, picnic or day out. So, why not stock up on your favourite drinks for the long weekend?