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WINE & VINEYARD
Soft Pruning: Rethinking Vine Care for the Next 1,000 Years
Pruning is arguably one of the most critical moments in the viticulture calendar, where the care we invest now, directly shapes the health and longevity of our vines for years to come. At Craggy Range, our pruning approach is guided by a centuries-old technique that's reshaping the way we think about our Estate vineyards, from the vine's very first shoot.
A Centuries-Old Technique, Modern Precision
Over the past four years, we have been refining a soft pruning technique guided by specialist consultants Simonit & Sirch, tailored to our Estate vineyards, soils and terroir. Our pruning teams are trained specifically in these methods, cutting in ways that protect the vine's internal sap flow, reducing stress on the plant and wood disease entry points.
Working with the same dedicated pruning teams each season is also proving both more precise and more efficient, empowering our people to make informed decisions with greater confidence.
The results speak for themselves. Vintage 2026 saw notably more even budburst and shoot growth, a clear testament to softer pruning and the stronger sap flow it encourages.
From The Nursery Up: Rethinking How Vines Begin
Taking these learnings further, Laura Marston, our Vineyard Technical Manager, has been leading trials with Riversun Nursery in Gisborne. For the past few years, Laura has been working alongside the nursery team to introduce soft pruning principles at the very start of a vine's life, selecting the first shoot on the sap flow rather than the industry standard of choosing the straightest shoot.
Alongside this, we've also been trialling shoot-thinning for sap flow at the nursery in-field, exploring how this approach may support the long-term health and longevity of the vine.
Planting For The Next Generation
Spring 2026, sees the planting of 7ha of Chardonnay at our Gimblett Gravels vineyard in Hawke's Bay, and 10ha of Pinot Noir at Te Muna in Martinborough, where the vines have been processed with these soft pruning principles from the very beginning at the nursery stage, this sees Craggy Range as one of the only vineyards in New Zealand driving this innovation.
With the stewardship of our 1,000-year family trust in mind, every decision from the very first shoot, to the fruit that is harvested - is made not just for the next vintage, but for generations to come. We continue to innovate, trial and refine our techniques, and look forward to what the future holds.
