The vines are sleep. And the work is just beginning.
Welcome to Part One of our Seasons in the Vineyard series, where we explore how great wine always starts with the plants and the people who care for them, long before a bottle is ever opened.
Winter in the Vineyard: The Season of Dormant Pruning
Winter is known as the vineyard’s dormant season, a time when vines rest and store energy for the growing season ahead. But for growers, this is one of the most hands-on and important times of the year.
Dormant pruning is the careful removal of last season’s growth to prepare the vine for spring. It might look simple, cutting back woody canes, but every snip is a decision that affects vine health, fruit quality, and balance.
Pruning helps:
- Control how much fruit the vine produces
- Improve airflow and sun exposure
- Keeps vines healthy and manageable year after year
Why Two Buds Matter on Cordon-Trained Vines
In the video accompanying this post, you’ll see a great example of cordon-trained vines being pruned down to two-bud shoots. Look in the background and you will see the unpruned vines for comparison.
So why two?
Leaving two buds on each spur helps strike the perfect balance:
- One bud can be damaged by winter weather or spring frost
- Two buds provide insurance while still limiting overproduction
- Fewer buds mean the vine can focus its energy on higher-quality fruit
This approach keeps the vine from overworking itself and sets the stage for better grapes, not just more grapes.
What Pruning Waste Can Tell Us About a Vineyard
One of the most fascinating moments in this video comes when Corey talks about pruning waste, the piles of cut canes left behind.
By observing how much wood is removes from different parts of the vineyard, growers can learn a lot:
- Vines at the bottom of a hill often grow more vigorously
- Vines at the top may struggle more due to thinner soils and drainage
Knowing this helps growers:
- Adjust pruning techniques
- Manage vine balance across the site
- Ensure consistent fruit quality from block to block
It’s a reminder that vineyards are living landscapes, not uniform factories.
Quiet Work, Lasting Impact
Winter pruning doesn’t come with tasting rooms, festivals, or photo-ready clusters of grapes, but it may be the most important work of all.
Every thoughtful cut made during dormancy shapes the season ahead. It’s a promise to future harvest and a testament to the care behind every bottle of North Carolina wine.
This is where great wine begins.
Stay tuned as we continue our Seasons in the Vineyard series and follow the vines from winter rest to spring awakening.
Unpruned vines in the winter
Spotlight on the Grape: Petit Manseng
The vines being pruned in the video are Petit Manseng, a grape that has found a natural home in North Carolina.
Originally from the southwest France, Petit Manseng thrives in warm, humid climates and is known for:
- Naturally high acidity
- Rich aromatics of citrus, stone fruit, and honey
- Excellent aging potential
It’s a grape that rewards patience, both in the vineyards and in the glass.
Perfect Parings for Petit Manseng are:
- Cheese: Aged gouda, blue cheese, or triple-cream brie
- Dishes: Roast chicken with herbs, scallops with citrus butter, or a lightly spiced curry
The wine’s bright acidity and texture make it incredibly food friendly.