Winter in the Vineyard: pruning through frost and snow in Néac

January 2026 – Life at –8°C in Lalande-de-Pomerol

January has settled firmly over the vineyards of Néac, and this winter is not holding back. With temperatures dropping to –8°C, snow covering the rows, and mornings wrapped in silence and frost, the vineyard has entered one of its most important – and least visible, seasons of the year.

While the vines may appear asleep, winter is in fact a decisive moment in the life of the vineyard. This is when pruning begins.

Pruning always takes place during the vine’s vegetative rest, usually between December and March. At this stage, sap has retreated into the roots and the vine is fully dormant.

Pruning in winter allows us to:

• respect the vine’s natural cycle,

• avoid excessive sap bleeding,

• prepare balanced growth for the coming spring.

Even in extreme cold, pruning continues. Snow and frost may slow the pace, but they do not change the purpose of the work.

Pruning consists of cutting back the canes from the previous year to determine how many buds the vine will carry in the next growing season.

Each vine is observed individually. Each cut is deliberate.

At Château Canon Chaigneau, pruning directly influences:

• yield,

• balance between vigor and concentration,

• and the long-term health of the vine.

In many ways, pruning is the first act of winemaking.

In our vineyards, pruning is carried out entirely by hand. We use a classic, controlled pruning approach adapted to our Merlot-dominant parcels:

• limiting the number of buds,

• preserving natural sap flow,

• and protecting the vine against long-term wood diseases.

This is slow, demanding work, especially in freezing conditions. Numb fingers, frozen ground, stiff secateurs, yet focus must remain absolute. A decision made in January will shape the vine for the entire year.

A true winter helps to:

• naturally regulate pests and diseases,

• delay premature bud break in spring,

• reinforce the vine’s natural rhythm.

At –8°C, healthy vines in dormancy are not at risk. The real danger comes later, when frost strikes after bud break (spring).

Snow acts as a natural insulator, protecting soils and roots from sudden temperature fluctuations. As it melts, it also contributes to soil hydration, a quiet reserve for the months ahead.

For winegrowers, snow-covered vineyards are both strikingly beautiful and quietly reassuring.

Cold winters like the one we are experiencing in January 2026 were far more common just a decade ago in Bordeaux.

The winter of 2011–2012 stands out as one of the coldest in recent memory. February 2012 was marked by prolonged frost and deeply negative temperatures across the region, allowing the vines to enter a true and complete vegetative rest.

This deep dormancy helped reset the vine’s natural balance. When spring arrived, growth was more controlled, sap flow more regular, and early development more even across the vineyard.

The 2012 vintage reflects this classical rhythm. Rather than excess or power, it is defined by:

• measured vine vigor,

• balanced yields,

• preserved freshness,

• and a style built on precision and restraint.

It is a reminder that great wines are not shaped only during harvest or vinification. Their foundations are often laid much earlier — in the silence of winter, during pruning, sometimes under snow.

Winter pruning rarely draws attention. There are no ripe grapes, no fermenting vats, no barrels to taste. Yet this is where everything begins.

Under the snow of Néac, with slow gestures and frozen air, the future of the next vintage is already taking shape.