Notes from the Vineyard - November 2025

As autumn turns to winter, much of our work this month has turned towards preparing the land, the vines, and the trees for the colder months ahead.

We’ve planted over 200 new apple trees this season, all staked and wrapped for protection before Christmas. That brings our total to around 750 Cornish sweet eating apples, a collection that reflects both our love for the orchard and our belief in preserving local varieties. We’ve used recycled wood chip from October’s tree work to mulch around the new plantings — a satisfying loop of renewal in action.

Alongside these, we planted 30 mixed Wild Cherry and Silver Birch — both favourites of pollinators and valuable additions to the orchard edges. They’ve been brought on from tiny whips and will begin to add colour and interest as they mature. Once the ground dries a little, we’ll plant the final 18 Crab Apple trees, each a different variety with beautifully coloured blossoms. These not only support pollination across our apple varieties, but also provide a feast for birds — helping to divert their attention from our more delicate crops.

In the vineyard, winter pruning is now well underway, a task that quietly shapes next year’s growth. We’ve also begun removing all the plastic vine guards, which will be sent for recycling — another step in reducing the long-term use of plastics on the land.

It’s the kind of month that rewards patience and planning. Everything we’ve done in November is in service of the spring to come — and we’re already looking forward to seeing what 2026 brings.

From all of us at Saints Way Wines