Each year after the excitement of vintage is over, and the vines become dormant so begins pruning time.
Unfortunately this is also the coldest time of the year, and this year has been particularly cold. It has also been quite a wet year and while the rain is welcomed, it does make pruning the least favourite job on a vineyard!
The first vines pruned for the year are always the first ones picked which in our case is our Chardonnay! Andrew finished our Chardonnay a couple of months ago and has moved into the Shiraz which will be finished next week.
Miners Ridge Contracting service expanded out last year and purchased a pre-pruning machine.
As well as preparing our own vineyard ready for easier pruning, Andrew also pre-pruned other local vineyards. Pre-pruning the vines speeds up the process quite dramatically.
The final variety to prune will be the Cabernet. All pruning (much to the relief of Andrew) will be over by September, ready for the weedicide then spraying part of the cycle!