January 2025 - Dormant Vines, Busy Team

The Vineyard is asleep and the vines are resting.

However, the team are getting ready for the season ahead. 

Every year during the dormant period we get ready to prune the vines.  This ensures that we are not damaging the vines but cutting out any old damaged growth to encourage new healthy buds and shoots for the oncoming season.

At Giffords Hall Vineyard, we have 32 year old vines.  However, as vines age, challenges naturally arise. Production begins to slow, and issues such as wood disease and low vigour become more prevalent.

To ensure the continued health and productivity of our vines, we are implementing a rigorous pruning regime this year. By cutting out old damaged growth and laying new canes from our established root system, we aim to revitalise production and stimulate more growth.

When it comes to planting vines, success starts below the surface. The most critical step is establishing a robust root system, as it provides the foundation for healthy growth and abundant foliage.

We also need to ensure our maintenance programme is underway.  It’s not the most glamorous part of vineyard life, but it’s absolutely essential to keep things running smoothly.

This means regularly walking the rows, spotting damaged posts or broken wires, and replacing them as needed. These may seem like small fixes, but they play a huge role in supporting our vines—literally! Without a sturdy framework, our vines wouldn’t have the support they need to grow and produce.

At Giffords Hall, we’re lucky to have two vineyards - the old and the new. Each has its own way of doing things when it comes to supporting the vines. It’s like having two personalities in the same family—they’re both great, just a little different.

Our oldest vineyard uses a high wire cordon trellis system. This setup is perfect for our more mature vines, giving them plenty of space to spread out and soak up the sun. It’s a tried-and-true method that works beautifully.

On the other hand, our newer vineyard uses a VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) trellis system. This system trains the vines to grow straight up in tidy rows, making it easier to manage and ensuring every shoot gets its share of sunlight. It’s a modern, efficient approach that’s ideal for younger vines.

Each system has its own perks, and together they give us the flexibility to get the best from both vineyards.