Winter Vineyard Care

Is there ever enough daylight to attend to the trials and tidbits of farming? Thank goodness it’s a leap year! A bonus day to get all of our ducks in a row for the Spring. Sure thing. February is a month of pruning. Every vine in each vineyard needs handwork. We cut out old growth to make room right where we want it for new buds to burst forth. Madson Wines predominantly relies on cane pruning, which is a method of selecting a couple of the past year’s canes as the main source of new growth. We also spur prune when needed, depending on the varietal and the condition of the vine. Pruning is an art form. Many choices made now will affect the fruit conditions months down the line. This is your winemaker’s favorite vineyard activity. As sunshine breaks the ridgeline over Toyon Vineyard, 3 miles from the Pacific coastline, hear Cole Thomas announcing, “This is the best job in the vineyard!” with a big grin. Check out this article from Wine Folly for some detailed pruning technique illustrations. https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/grape-vine-training-methods-illustration/