Pruning grapevines is not difficult, but it’s hard work and very important to ensure a good harvest. It takes years of shaping vines by pruning them to make sure you’re able to maintain consistency of the quality of the fruit, and the productivity of the vine.

After harvest we wait until leaf fall, and when it’s just cold enough, usually around the end of June, we cut the canes “borselkop” to a length of 30cm long. (“Borselkop” is difficult to translate – but essentially the vines look like they’ve had a brushcut when done).


They need to be this length because they are the sensors that pick up the change of weather. This helps to gauge when it’s time for the vines to wake up again after the winter sleep. 


At the end of August we cut the canes down to 3cm so that there are only two buds. These two buds will create new shoots which will carry the new crop. We only cut at end of August so that bud bursts are even which means the fruit that ripens evenly and we end up with a balanced wine.


Pruning is essential to maintain a balance between the growth of the vines and the quality of the crop. If a vine is pruned too much, more shoots grow and the vine produces more grapes – it also produces more leaves! If the vine has too many leaves, and thus more shade, it becomes difficult for the grapes to ripen.

Hand tools are mainly used to prune grape vines as you have to be very careful not to injure the vines. Larger wood is trimmed with skêr (scissors... LARGE ones) or handsaws.



The fruits of our labour and dedication during pruning will be evident in the quality of The Berrio wines we create for you.