Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - January 2025

January 27, 2025

The month of January often seems a long one to endure post Christmas, with its cold, short days ; however it is always a very busy month in our vineyard, and with pruning and tree management to undertake this one has been no exception.


Our vines are grown on a system called “Double Guyot”, learn more about how they are winter pruned here.


Godstone Vineyard is surrounded on three sides by extensive areas of woodland, and, like everything else in the countryside, this requires annual management. We are very proud of our tree planting endeavours, which have taken place every winter for the past three decades. However, the countryside finds itself confronted by the horrors of “Ash Dieback” — an airborne disease which is wreaking havoc across the British Isles. To learn more about Ash Dieback, how it spreads, and control efforts, please click here.


We have embarked upon upgrading our wirework in the vineyard, much of which is nearly 40 years old — the cost of steel wire is a shock !


We always love to see you at Godstone Vineyard and if you would like to join us for a glass or two of wine and perhaps a charcuterie and cheese platter we are open on Saturday 8th February, and thereafter monthly.


Kind Regards

Jonathan

Book for the 8th of February
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
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