This morning we wandered out into the vineyard as the moon was still visible in the sky and the sunlight was warming the remaining frost.
We wanted to observe the guys as they pruned the vines for winter. They use the assistance of air-powered pruning shears. Four guys each pruning a row. They move methodically along creating art with the shears.
It really is an art. We’re nervous enough pruning our roses let alone pruning vines that need to produce grapes that then is made into wine to be sold. What if you mess up and it doesn’t produce a high enough yield?! What if…? No thanks! These guys really are amazing.
Winter pruning on some of the vines is similar to green pruning.
They prune it in the same shape as the green pruning.
Yesterday we watched this machine as it did a kind of a pre-pruning on some of the vines. This is done on only some of the vines. The ones that possibly still have leaves on them and the ones that are growing more outward. This machine goes along and cuts them. Then at some point the guys will come through and do the proper winter pruning.
The winter pruning needs to be completed by March before the vines start to sprout and the sap rises which gets us back full circle to when we arrived. .
The Winery Woman 