Jonathan's Vineyard Blog May 2023

GODSTONE • May 25, 2023

Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog 

25th May 2023


Our first volunteering day of the new season was held on Tuesday 16th May and we were blessed with fine weather after what has been a rather cold and wet Spring.


A dozen of us spent the morning engaged in bud rubbing, which is a vital task and basically involves removing all the unwanted new growth from the vine trunk. It is a job which has been made far easier thanks to a hand held contraption that looks like the combination of long handled toothbrush cum hairbrush. Anyway, it does a great job.


We all then enjoyed a lovely lunch together on our sun drenched terrace - local cheeses complimented by a glass or two of our sparkling wine.


We are immensely grateful to those of you who help out on these volunteering days and there are a few more lined up over the course of Summer/Autumn if you wish to get involved in something rather different!


The weather has finally turned warm and sunny this week and so, after a slow start, the vines are finally begin to motor through their growth stages.


Our Sparkling Rose from the 2021 harvest is being released during the second week of June. I have had several advanced tastings and it is sublime.


Kind Regards


Jonathan

jcdeeley@godstonevineyards.com

Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog March 2024

By GODSTONE • 28 Mar, 2024
Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog 26th March 2024 Winter has been incredibly wet and outdoor work in the vineyard has been anything but fun - however these are a few of the jobs which have been keeping us busy over the past few months: Pruning our vines - the single most important task undertaken in the vineyard and one which will have the greatest influence on potential yields and quality; Pruning our windbreaks - we have to undertake routine maintenance every few years to ensure that they don’t get too tall or wide - it is a difficult task which requires the expertise of a local contractor; Planting new hedges and trees - we do this every winter and the results are beginning to speak for themselves. Our shop and cafe will remain closed throughout 2024 whilst we deal with a myriad of issues following the devastating loss of our mother last November. If you would like to visit us this year then your chance to do so is via our volunteering days - our two early season ones will be held on: Tuesday 7th May Monday 3rd June Approximately 6 hours of gentle work within the vineyard followed by lunch and free flowing Godstone wine - if you would like to join the fun please let me know asap ! Jonathan & Robert 

Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog January 2024

By GODSTONE • 22 Jan, 2024
Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog 22nd January 2024 It might surprise you to know that January is one of the busiest months in the vineyard year. Pruning is in full swing plus we are busy planting new hedges and trees. Pruning is the single most important task in a vineyard because we are choosing the buds that will produce the fruit for harvest. It is a crucial task which helps us to maintain the vine’s formation; regulates the number and positioning of shoots thereby concentrating growth into key areas; improves fruit quality and generally ensures that the vine does not get out of control ! We have some vines which are now 36 years old and if anything the quality of their grapes is improving year on year, however, as you can see from the above image a vine of this maturity also requires some fairly drastic pruning in order to maintain its shape. This winter we have removed as much old bulky wood as possible from the crown of these vines and so far I am very satisfied with the resulting structure. A vine requires a lot of energy to power the sap as it rises up the plant once growth commences in the Spring so we are basically trying to reduce its workload - this happens to the best of us as we get older ! Our shop and cafe are taking a short break whilst we transition the business following the sad passing away of our mother last November; we are very grateful for the many messages of support and kind words you have written to us during this difficult time. We will see you again soon. Jonathan & Robert
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