Summer is in full swing in Prince Edward County and the team at Traynor has been happy to welcome back guests in our new outdoor spaces and sipping on our most recent releases. Behind the scenes things are busy as always as we continue to push new boundaries, expand, and grow together as a team. From taking care of our vines, to preparing a new field for planting to bottling new releases and a few other soon-to-be-announced projects, the list of things to do are endless — and we wouldn’t have it any other way. So, what’s happening at the winery while you’re relaxing on the patio?
Growth! Growth on the vines is starting to kick-off, which means it is also time to start tucking them and making sure the vines are growing in the right direction. We have seen some great growth for the season already and tucking helps to ensure the vines aren’t overlapping and overgrowing on each other. This process helps to start training them for the season ahead and set them up for success. This step taken in vineyard management is happening about a week earlier than last year, but overall, the vineyard is a little behind where it was by this time — but nothing the team is worried about at this point.
When looking to the back fields where the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grow, we see they are growing a little slower than the hybrids, which is typical and something to be expected. Originally, we were worried about the Chardonnay specifically, thinking it got a bit of winter kill with how cold the temperatures got, as well as the icy conditions, which is something that geotextiles seem to have an issue with. Snow helps insulate the vines, but ice adds weight and extra pressure to the textiles. To the team’s pleasant surprise, the Chardonnay plants pushed through, survived, and doing well this season. Both the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are popping buds, which is always exciting to see, as they are crowd favourites, and it is hard to beat a delicious glass of County Chardonnay on a beautiful summer day.
In the coming weeks the team will also be expanding the nurseries between the rows of vines. Currently the property has irises, chamomile and chives that have been growing in the windbreaks and in the front gardens and have been multiplying quickly. The team will take them and will be splitting them up and begin planting them between the actual vines. This is the next step in Traynor’s permaculture project to help naturally prevent mildew, weeds, and bugs on the vines. It will be a slow process and hopefully within five years there will be irises and plants living between every row of vines.
If managing the existing vines wasn’t enough, the team is also busy doing work on the new three acres found on the property, which are the last three acres that require planting. The first steps involve getting the soiled ripped up, pulling rocks out and cleaning it out, which will take the entirety of the summer. By the fall the soil will be resting and will sit over the fall and winter before it is ready for planting next year in the spring. Any guesses as to which vines, we will be planting there?
For those of you who aren’t coming to get your hands dirty in the vineyard and visiting the winery for the first time this season, you will notice we have expanded our outdoor spaces and providing new experiences for guests! One of our favourite additions is the fresh charcuterie boards from local wine bar, Adega PEC, which we will be carrying four days a week, with the intention of making it seven days a week soon as the season continues to pick up. We are also having a bit of fun and now have a slushy machine — frosé anyone? We encourage guests to sit back, relax and spend the afternoon in the cabanas, snacking on charcuterie and sipping on our wine. Does it get any better?
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It’s an amazing time to give the winery a visit and sit by the fire while enjoying some delicious wine. Check out @traynorvineyard on social for real-time updates and details about how you can visit.
