Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - February 2026

GODSTONE • January 29, 2026

1st February 2026

February 2nd is known as Candlemas and, apparently, the weather on this

day will determine the remainder of the Winter ! Britain being Britain we

have folklore sayings such as If Candlemas be fair and clear there'll be

two Winters in one year although, in the interests of positive thinking I

prefer this one - If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter'll have another

flight. But if Candlemas Day be clouds and rain, Winter is gone and will

not come again. Therefore keep a close eye on the weather on February 2nd

and if it rains then this might be a silver lining!


Irrespective of the weather, Winter is always a surprisingly busy time in

our vineyard and this one has proved no exception: pruning the vines,

planting new hedging, sprucing up our shop and terrace, all of which has

kept us on the straight and narrow.


As a vigneron you cannot reasonably expect me to do Dry January and, true

to form, in the past month I have been experimenting with some outstanding

white Burgundies and several local real ales! It's a tough job but someone

had to do it.


We decided to stay closed between January and the end of March however I am

pleased to say that we will reopen on Saturday 4th April, after which we

will have many open days throughout the Spring, Summer, and Autumn.


If you would like to visit us during April and/or May please register your

interest - free of charge - via the links below:

Saturday 4th April

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1978775826765?aff=oddtdtcreator

Easter Monday 6th April

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1979663039442?aff=oddtdtcreator

Bank Holiday Monday 4th May

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1979663129712?aff=oddtdtcreator


Kind Regards
Jonathan

Jonathan’s Vineyard Notes - 11th August 2026

By GODSTONE • August 11, 2026
11th August 2026 We have been extremely busy in the vineyard, however let's talk about the weather! It's been a remarkably hot, dry Summer in Southern England, you don't need me to point that out, and we are one of the only agricultural sectors who are not suffering as a result of the relentless sunshine combined with lack of rainfall. Vines do not need Summer rainfall, in fact, dry weather is ideal because heavy rain or high humidity close to harvest causes the berries to swell and split, dilutes sugar levels, and triggers fungal diseases such as mildew. Dry Summers generally produce much higher-quality grapes. A grapevine typically requires roughly 10-35 inches of water annually to support their growth cycle, and they prefer to absorb this moisture through winter and spring rainfall stored deep within the soil. Grapevines are deep-rooting plants; whilst the majority of their roots (about 60-80%) live in the top 2-3 feet of soil, their anchor and tap roots can push down to 15-20 feet or more. At the time of writing we do not have a definitive harvest date but needless to say it will be a few weeks earlier than normal. We remain open every Saturday between now and the end of September and always love seeing you. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-in-the-vines-at-godstone-vineyards-tickets-1 987770961455?aff=oddtdtcreator Regards, Jonathan & Robert

Jonathan’s Vineyard Notes - 17th June 2026

By GODSTONE • June 17, 2026
17th June 2026 June is usually a busy month in the vineyard and this year has been no exception. Firstly, bud rubbing and shoot selection has been undertaken - removing unwanted shoots from the trunk - done by hand - after which shoot selection, a critical task which is not so much about keeping the strongest shoots but more about retaining the best positioned ones. Good spacing improves airflow, reduces disease pressure, and makes future tasks more straightforward. Early thinning prevents canopy overcrowding later on. Secondly, we moved on to tucking in, because as shoots extend the main priority is keeping them upright. If done properly this tucking in enables the vines to form a neat hedge-like canopy, thereby improving light distribution and keeping the fruiting zone accessible. In July our main job will be tipping and / or topping the vines, followed by leaf stripping. I will let you know how we get on with these tasks in my next edition of these Notes. We always love to see you and the vineyard is open every Saturday until mid September - with free parking, free self guided vineyard walks, and sharing platters of carefully curated local cheeses and charcuterie, it's a lovely way to enjoy a Saturday this Summer ! (Booking is appreciated and greatly assists with our planning …) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-in-the-vines-at-godstone-vineyards-tickets-1 987770961455?aff=oddtdtcreator Regards, Jonathan & Robert