Pruning the vine in Burgundy is one of the great silent appointments of our year. When the leaves have fallen and the vine has entered its rest period, the landscape of Solutré reveals itself differently: the rows are drawn with clarity, the vines reveal their architecture and each cane tells the story of the past season. In our Pouilly-Fuissé vineyard, this period demands time, observation and great consistency.

Pruning is not just about shortening a piece of wood. It means choosing the buds that will bear next year's shoots, maintaining a shape suited to each vine and accompanying the vine over the long term. This winter work is therefore both very concrete and forward-looking: it prepares the balances of the future grape, without ever being able to predict the vintage on its own.

Why prune the vine in winter?

The vine is a climbing plant: if it grew freely, it would produce a lot of wood and develop its bunches in a more scattered way. Pruning makes it possible to guide its growth, control the number of buds kept and facilitate the work that will follow through the seasons. It also helps keep the vines airy and accessible, both for work in the rows and for the harvest.

In southern Burgundy, pruning is carried out during the vegetative rest period, generally between leaf fall and the vine's resumption of growth in spring. The schedule is not decided simply by looking at a date. Weather conditions, the state of the soils, how far along winter is, and the organisation of work at the estate all matter as well.

This moment is essential, but it must be seen in proper proportion. The quality of a wine is built throughout the year: in the care given to the soils, the attention paid to the plant's balances, the decisions made as harvest approaches, then the work in the cellar. Pruning simply opens the first visible chapter of this cycle.

Pruning Chardonnay at Pouilly-Fuissé

Our Pouilly-Fuissé appellation is produced from Chardonnay. Like any grape variety, it expresses its vigour and potential according to where it grows, the age of the vines, their history and the conditions of the year. At Solutré, the limestone soils and the vineyard slopes are part of this setting, but no row is ever perfectly identical to its neighbour.

Vine training relies on a sought-after balance between grape production and foliage development. Keeping too many buds can lead to greater vegetative growth and yield; keeping too few can, depending on the situation, needlessly reduce the vine's potential. The pruner's role is to read the vine as it presents itself, rather than mechanically applying the same decision everywhere.

In many Burgundian plots, Guyot pruning is a reference training method. Its principle is to keep a fruiting cane bearing buds, along with a spur intended for renewal the following year. The precise methods may vary according to the estate's practices, the plot and the condition of the vine. What matters is preserving a coherent and lasting structure.

Vine by vine work in our vineyard

In winter, the gesture may seem repetitive from the path running alongside the vines. Yet it never quite is. Each vine presents its own pattern: older wood more pronounced, a well-placed cane, an area to renew, sometimes the traces of an old wound or the consequences of a demanding season. This diversity demands constant attention.

We move forward row by row, first observing the overall state of the plot, then the structure of each vine. The goal is to maintain a legible framework, avoid unnecessary pruning wounds as much as possible, and prepare the renewal of the wood. These choices matter especially for the longevity of the vines, which are the living heritage of our family estate.

Pruning means making a decision today while keeping several years of the vine's life in perspective.

Pruning also calls for a certain humility. A cold winter, a spring frost episode, a dry or rainy spell: the vine will still go through many stages before giving its grapes. Our work is to offer it a balanced framework, then remain present and attentive to what each season brings.

The stages of vine pruning

Winter work cannot be reduced to the final snip of the shears. It follows a sequence of gestures that progressively clarifies the vine. Depending on how the plot is organised and the equipment used, certain operations may be carried out by hand or assisted by suitable tools.

  • Observing the vine: identifying the year's wood, the framework and any fragile areas.
  • Selecting the canes: choosing those that will be used for fruiting and renewal.
  • Making the cuts: intervening with precision in order to respect the desired shape of the vine.
  • Pulling or laying down the pruned wood: clearing the cut canes to restore a tidy row.
  • Preparing the trellising: depending on practices, the fruiting wood is then tied or put in place when conditions allow.

The management of the canes is also part of the life of the plot. They can be shredded and returned to the soil, or removed according to technical choices and the vineyard's health needs. Nothing is left to chance: the decisions made in the rows are part of an overall vision of the soil, the vine and its environment.

The Solutré landscape during pruning season

Winter reveals another facet of southern Burgundy. The rock of Solutré stands out in a lower light, the vines seem at rest and the working days are set by the weather. Some mornings are clear and dry; others require dealing with cold, dampness or soils that are difficult to work.

It is a season less visible to visitors than the harvest, but it is deeply linked to an estate's identity. It brings together inherited gestures, a fine knowledge of the plots and the pleasure of watching the vineyard gradually prepare to start anew. Before the first buds, there is this patient period when tomorrow's wine quietly begins in the year's wood.

For our Pouilly-Fuissé cuvées, pruning does not seek to standardise what nature sets apart. On the contrary, it reminds us that every plot, every exposure and every vine contributes to a wine's personality. The cellar will come later; in winter, our attention is entirely turned towards the rows.

When is the vine pruned in Burgundy?

The vine is pruned during its vegetative rest, from late autumn until the end of winter or early spring depending on conditions. In Burgundy, the pace depends in particular on the weather, the area to be worked and the estate's strategy. The essential thing is to complete this work before the vegetation fully develops, while remaining attentive to how the season unfolds.