We’re pruning, SNIP SNIP!

Pruning is personal. Facing each vine, you are given a moment to shape its future. Not just this year, in the growing season ahead, but in the years to come too. To make a wound now with the intention of giving each vine the best chance to grow in balance and give quality fruit over as long a lifespan as possible. To work with their strengths, and guide them through their weaknesses.

The cuts of previous years, visible in the wood, are sometimes a reminder of a previous mistake, a lesson learnt, or a small but proud achievement. The experience of living, unfolding in 30 seconds or so, over and over and over and over and over in front of you. Possibly with Hot Chip in your head, who knows…

If you hadn’t caught on by now, we have started the long process of pruning the vineyards. Over the next three months we will make our way through the different plots, getting everything ready for the spring ahead, taking the chance to train the team as we go, in what is such an important annual task. It is both a romantic and purely practical task and I think there is value in approaching it with both in mind, in equal measure. Long days outside through the winter may be bad for your circulation, but are good for your resolve. With the added blessing that we do not prune in the rain – to abate the risk of fungal infection. Less romantic, fungal infection.

Inside, the winemaking calendar rolls on, and we are tasting through all the different ’25s to check in on their progress ahead of our first spring blends. The last two wines from ’24 are just about ready to bottle before they have another rest before release, and excitingly, we are very close to the final wine from 2023 being ready to see the world.

After finishing our dosage trials, our first release of Traditional Method in a long time is almost ready to disgorge, making it one step closer to release later this year. A bit of time under cork and we’ll be good to go! Traditional by name, but the blend is far from – Pinot Noir, Müller-Thurgau, Chenin Blanc and Ortega… WHOOSH. Keep an eye out in a few months time for this one.

With these colder times, we’re turning to some of our more robust wines. Something to enliven the senses in these grey days! If you are reaching for the cheese (very accepted, and actually highly encouraged) our FLOR is the perfect wine. The third release of our smallest production cuvée, details in the link.

Or if you’re sticking to reds, our elegant and spicy 2023 Pinot Noir Précoce should do the trick. Go on…

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Wine manager | Tierney Beames