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 Blog -November 2025

By GODSTONE • November 5, 2025
We have arrived at the end of another year in the vineyard and I am delighted to say that the vines have excelled themselves in what was, admittedly, a very good year to be cultivating grapes in England. The disappointment of no harvest in 2024 was a distant memory on Sunday 5th October when, under cloudless blue skies, we picked top quality grapes which will be made into a Sparkling Wine for release in 2028; the grapes had an almost perfect balance of acidity and natural sugar, excellent quality with barely any disease. I would venture to say that 2025 will match 2022, which was the last great vintage in England, time will tell ! I would like to thank those of you who helped with the harvest and also for your efforts throughout the Spring and Summer, it is greatly appreciated and we couldn’t do it without you ! As many of you know by now, our vineyard is planted predominantly with a variety called Seyval Blanc, which - in our opinion - is ideally suited to English conditions. Undoubtedly the doyen of Seyval Blanc was Peter Hall, of Breaky Bottom vineyard near Lewes, and it is with great sadness that we learnt of his passing last month. My brother and I were fortunate to have a private audience with him in 2024 in which he imparted some valuable tricks of his trade ! His obituary (below) gives you a feel for this incredible vigneron who will be much missed. English wine has lost a great character. https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/tribute-peter-hall-1943-2025 Rest In Peace, Peter Hall, 1943-2025 Kind Regards Jonathan

Jonathan’s Vineyard Blog - September 2025

By GODSTONE • September 4, 2025
The four months of the year which end in ‘ber’ are now upon us which means that Michaelmas Day (September 29th) is only three weeks away. Folklore claimed that if a north wind blew on Michaelmas Day the month of October would be sunny and fine although make the most of it because fine weather on Saint Denis’s Day (October 9th) indicates a hard winter ahead! The sayings below are my personal favourites : “Dew in the night, next day will be bright” “Grey mists at dawn, the day will be warm” “Rain before seven, fine before eleven” “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight, red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning” In an age where for most of us the first port of call for a weather forecast is an app on our mobiles, these sayings often stand the test of time! At the time of writing we do not have a definite harvest date and we continue to monitor levels of sugar and acidity every other day in the hope of arriving at the perfect day for picking! Last year the starlings treated our grapes as an open buffet so we are praying that we can avoid a repeat. We are now open every Saturday between midday and 4pm and, as always, would love to see you. Kind Regards Jonathan