Pruning Vines

The main harvest season is over in Napa Valley and Grgrich Estates, but one of the most important parts of making top-quality wine is just beginning: vine pruning. As the cold and mist filter through our vineyard, we'll be in the fields carefully pruning the vines so that our grapes are as robust and flavorful as possible.

Why Pruning Is Important

The grapes we grow to produce Napa Cabernet Sauvignon come from vines that once thrived in the canopy of trees. Their tendency is to grow fast and horizontally to catch as much sunlight as possible, but as this happens, the vines weaken and lose their ability to produce high-quality grapes. They're also more prone to fungal disease as they extend and weaken. To counter this problem that occurs at all wineries in Napa, we prune.

By pruning, we're able to precisely control the quantity and quality of buds on each vine. Too many buds may mean that the vine's leaves will not be able to photosynthesize enough energy to ripen the grapes. Too few buds may lead to tremendous vine growth yet an insignificant harvest of grapes. It's crucial to maintain the correct balance of leaf and plant matter to buds without creating over pruning as each cut creates an entry point for possible disease.

How Pruning Vines Works

To effectively remove all unwanted wood and other plant matter from our grapevines, we use hand tools like loppers, pruners and saws. Depending on the varietal and the conditions, this work can be quite difficult. Cutting through particularly dense and thick vines requires a mix of strength and precision to avoid damaging the plant. At Napa Valley vineyards, we usually start this process around February. This is when the sap has retreated, the leaves have fallen and the vines have stored enough energy to make it spring.

Pruning vines is a big part of our effort to be one of the best wineries in Napa CA. If you visit our vineyard during Cabernet Season, you can learn more about the pruning process and other techniques we utilize to grow the best possible grapes.