Pruning for Performance: Suitable for All Levels, South-East England, 11 Dec 2025

All Levels: Pruning for Performance

Learn to make the most effective choices for when and how you manage the gentle pruning of grapevines ready for the next year of growth and harvest.

Enjoy a morning of theory-based learning before you apply what you have learned with a hands-on practical session in the vineyard.

Content includes:

• Defining realistic goals for your vineyard’s performance.
• Using pruning to help with short and long-term objectives.
• Balancing crop loads with vegetative growth and the sustainability of your business.
• Trunk disease considerations.
• Remedial techniques for poorly pruned vines.
• How can spending on pruning save you money in the long run?
• A practical pruning workshop for both beginners/intermediate and intermediate/advanced practitioners.

Your ticket also includes lunch and morning tea.

PLEASE BRING:
– Pruning secateurs
– Suitable outdoor clothing and footwear for the practical session and inclement weather

VENUE: Leonardslee Wine Estate, Mannings Heath Golf Club, Hammerpond Road, Horsham RH13 6PG, United Kingdom + Google Map

ALL LEVELS WELCOME:
Beginner to Intermediate /  Intermediate to advanced. This course is designed for ALL, with pruning strategy in the morning and suitable practical sessions in the afternoon. Note: The course uses mature vines for the practical however your training will also cover vineyard establishment (years 1 to 3). 

Your trainer…

CAMERON ROUCHER

Nuffield Scholar and an experienced vineyard manager; Cameron established a reputation for quality grapegrowing and innovation over the 12.5 years he managed the vineyards at Rathfinny Wine Estate.

Cameron grew up in New Zealand, where he trained in viticulture and honed his trade. He recently returned to the Antipodes to work at Cherubino in Western Australia. Cameron came back to the UK in late 2024, joining Vinescapes to share his skills and experience with a wider audience. He brings a focus on technology, new innovations and the benefits of regenerative viticulture in a changing and variable climate.