Southern Xinjiang Vineyards Wake Early After Mild Winter

In southern Xinjiang’s Yanqi Basin, a warmer-than-usual winter and an early spring have pushed vineyard work ahead of schedule this year, with grapevines breaking dormancy 2% to 3% earlier than normal and growers reporting steady conditions through the start of the season.

The region’s vineyards, spread across Yanqi and nearby Hoxud counties, began uncovering vines in mid-March. By mid-April, many had moved into bud break and early leaf growth. Growers said the season has so far avoided serious late frost, sandstorms or other weather events that could have damaged young shoots. Rainfall was slightly above average, leaving soil moisture in good condition for spring work.

At Tiansai Winery in Yanqi, vine uncovering began in mid-March and finished by the end of the month, about 3 days earlier than last year. The winery said mechanical equipment handled about 60% of the work, with the rest done by hand. Roughly 1,500 labor shifts were used during the process, much of it filled by local farmers and workers from nearby areas. By mid-April, the vineyard had entered early leaf growth, with most buds carrying 2 to 3 new leaves. The winery’s new demonstration vineyard is expected to bear fruit for the first time this year.

At Xiangdu Wine Industry, work on 40,000 mu of vineyards began in mid-March. Workers and machines removed winter coverings, cleared soil from the vines and tied canes back onto trellises. The company said local growers often use apricot blossoms as a natural signal for when to begin uncovering vines. This year’s warmer weather made that timing easier to judge.

In Hoxud County, where spring warms more slowly because of the influence of Bosten Lake, vineyards were uncovered about a week later than those in Yanqi. Guanyi Winery began work on March 25. Chardonnay and Italian Riesling budded between March 29 and April 4, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Gernischt followed from April 6 to April 10. The winery said labor remains tight in the area and wages are relatively high, so it relies on a mix of machinery and manual work for tasks such as uncovering vines, clearing drainage channels and applying organic fertilizer.

Guanyi also held a tying-and-training competition after uncovering to improve canopy management and encourage better cane placement on the trellis. The winery said the goal is to distribute shoots more evenly and reduce damage to older canes when vines are buried again for winter.

At Ruifeng Winery, also in Hoxud’s Quhui area, varieties including Syrah, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Marselan were uncovered from March 24 through mid-April. Bud break rates were estimated at 70% to 85%. The winery said warm daytime temperatures combined with large day-night swings slowed soil warming somewhat, but did not disrupt growth. Strong winds have been a concern, so workers have increased irrigation to keep vines from drying out too quickly.

Ziyu Winery in Hoxud’s Tahaqi township started uncovering vines on March 24. Before that work began, the vineyard had already received a full application of sheep manure-based organic fertilizer. All uncovering, training and trellising had been completed by mid-April, followed by one round of irrigation for bud break.

At Guofei Winery in Hoxud’s Wushitala township, Riesling and Syrah vines were uncovered starting March 20 in a process that lasted 10 days. The winery said machinery now handles more than 70% of the work during uncovering season. By March 30, the vineyard had entered bud break.

Fangxiang Manor finished uncovering its vineyards on April 10. Chardonnay, Riesling, Marselan and Cabernet Sauvignon all entered bud break in early April, about 1 to 2 days earlier than last year. The estate said this was mainly due to a milder winter without prolonged severe cold and an earlier spring warm-up. Current work focuses on removing weak buds and excess shoots while managing water and fertilizer according to soil conditions.

Bainian Winery began uncovering vines on March 15 and finished on April 4 after 20 days of work. Bud break started on April 5, about 10 days earlier than last year. The winery said April is a key month for water and fertilizer management as well as installing trellis poles.

Across southern Xinjiang’s wine regions, growers said this spring has offered favorable conditions for vine growth after dormancy. With temperatures rising steadily and field operations moving on schedule, vineyards are entering the season with strong early momentum.