Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - January 2022

Jonathan • January 11, 2022

In a vineyard there is little time for either rest or complacency; no sooner than the Christmas decorations have been dismantled and we are back out in the vineyard undertaking a task which is critically important to the year ahead … pruning.

Our vines are grown on a trellising system known as ‘Double Guyot’ and on the whole they are mature (some were planted as far back as 1985). Each year the old fruiting canes are completely cut out and replaced by two new shoots (hence ‘double’ guyot) that have arisen from the replacement stub which was left the previous year. Great care must be taken to select healthy, well ripened growth that is conveniently placed in a central position. These new shoots have to be pruned according to the density of planting and the buds on the shoots. The two fruiting canes of the ‘double guyot’ vine should carry 10 buds per square metre of ground area. For example, in our vineyard where the vines are spaced 1.5 metres apart in the row with the rows 2.0 metres apart there is a ground area of 3 square metres for each vine. At this density, 30 buds can be left, i.e. 15 buds on each cane.


Pruning can take place from January onwards: early pruning leads to an earlier bud burst. If the pruning is delayed until March or April, the vine may ‘bleed’, which can appear alarming but does not appear to weaken the vine itself. In general we aim to strike a medium and ensure that our pruning is started in January with the intention of finishing by the end of March.


If snow/frost is on the ground during January or February then admire the pretty scenery whilst sparing a thought for our pruning team, who will be out there in all weathers striving to create the perfect vine for the coming year. It is on days such as these that my hip flask filled with sloe gin comes in very handy indeed!


I wish you all a prosperous, happy, and healthy 2022.

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

Jonathan's Vineyard Blog - 15th May 2026

By GODSTONE • May 15, 2026
May 15th The changeable weather has been the main talking point this Spring in the vineyard. Plus cest la meme chose! March was a mild and changeable month with periods of settled weather interspersed with periods of indifferent weather, the provisional mean temperature was 1.3 degrees Celsius above average; April, on the other hand, was dominated by a static anticyclone which blocked North Atlantic low pressure systems, resulting in a very dry, settled, and sunny month. April was a false dawn. May has been an extraordinary month with a distinctly chilly feel especially at night - many vineyards across England are reporting significant frost damage to the young buds which will, inevitably, result in yield reduction. Godstone is planted on slopes below the North Downs which allow cold air to drain away, flowing downhill and collecting in lower spots out of harms way so, fingers crossed, we appear to have escaped the worst of the cold nights. If you wish to read more about the science and reasoning behind vineyards planted on a slope or flat ground I highly recommend this article: https://grape-to-glass.com/index.php/flat-slope-vineyards/ We always love to see you and are now open every Saturday until mid September - plentiful free parking, stroll the vineyard, relax over a glass of wine with a sharing platter of carefully curated local cheeses and charcuterie, booking is recommended and greatly assists with our planning. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987770961455?aff=oddtdtcreator Regards, Jonathan & Robert