Winter is the season of cold weather, delicate snow, and icy rains. While winter is many things, a growing season it is not. So what exactly happens to grapevines in the winter? After grapes have been harvested in autumn, leaves begin to fall away and the vines die off growing hard and woody like the trunk of the plant. Leaves continue to fall throughout the rest of the season until they are all gone, and the vines grow harder and harder until the plant looks completely dead.
But it’s not dead, only sleeping as it enters winter dormancy. Grapevines go dormant to protect themselves from the colder temperatures and prepare for new, fruitful growth in the spring. Dormancy starts the moment the last leaf falls from the vine and ends in the spring. At Burntshirt we tend to come out of dormancy around the end of April. We often get late frosts and frigid temperatures well into April so we try to keep our vines dormant as long as possible to keep them from getting damaged in untimely and unexpected winter weather.
Although winter is not a growing season, winter dormancy is just as important to the growth cycle of a grapevine. While vines sleep they are protected and as pruning begins and they prepare for the next growing season. Want to see our sleeping vines? Stop by our Hendersonville location for a peek! The calmness of the vineyard permeates the tasting room, we believe there is no better of a time for a peaceful visit.
