Join us on February 2nd for our first Farmer’s Series Workshop of 2019 – Primitivo Pruning! We caught up with Harney Lane Proprietor and Vineyard Manager Kyle Lerner to get the scoop on pruning (what is it?!) and what he has in store for our upcoming adventure!
Why do you prune?
Pruning is the first stage in setting up the vineyard for its potential crop. Just like an apple tree, an orange tree, or any other plant, we have to maintain the balance of the grape vines so they can successfully ripen their future fruit for the best quality grapes.
Those vines look dormant. Why now?
We prune this time of year precisely because the vines are dormant. The leaves have dropped and there is no potential for them to start growing until things heat up again. In the wintertime, with naked vines, we can also see exactly what we’re pruning in order to set each vine up for the coming season.
How important are your vineyard crews to the process?
They are vitally important! We do all hand pruning – there is no way to mechanically prune effectively – so their knowledge of how to do it well is key. There are about 622 vines an acre, which means we have nearly 350,000 vines to prune every single year. Our crews are efficient and precise, with each individual person pruning anywhere from 300-500 vines a day. Guests will be able to see first-hand exactly what it takes to make those pruning decisions, which will ensure the future of the quality of the crop this season at the Pruning Workshop.
When you come out to the Pruning Workshop, you’ll be able to see first-hand exactly what it takes to make those pruning decisions, which will ensure the future of the quality of the crop this season.
How do they know what to do?
Some of our crew members have worked with us for over 20 and 30 years. They have vast knowledge of what it takes starting out with pruning to get to that end point. They’re working through those vineyards for the whole season, so they can observe their input and how that’s translated through the growing season all the way through to harvest. When you try it, you’ll realize how precise and technical this type of work can be and how skilled our employees are to be able to do what they do.
What’s special about Primitivo?
If you’ve visited before, you have probably wandered among the vines of our Primitivo vineyard, which sits right beside our Tasting Room. We originally planted Primitivo because of the characteristics that particular clone of Zinfandel exhibits, which include longer, looser clusters that help immensely with the ripening of the fruit. After eventually producing our own wines from this vineyard, we discovered how luxurious the wine itself was; its unique profile made it distinct from any of our other vineyards.
We invite everyone to come out and experience what it’s like to work side by side with our skilled crews and see what they do to bring your favorite wines to the table. After spending time in the vines, we’ll make it a perfect winter day by pulling out some exclusive library wines to savor beside our Tasting Room fireplace.
Details here. Space is limited! rsvp@harneylane.com or call 209-365-1900 to reserve your spot.
