January is the quietest month on the northern hemisphere wine calendar, yet far from idle. In the vineyards, vines are fully dormant, their energy stored in roots and trunks after the rigors of the previous growing season. Pruning crews fan out across estates, making thousands of precise cuts that will ultimately determine yields, canopy balance, and fruit quality for the year ahead. Decisions made now—bud counts and vine-by-vine adjustments—set the framework for the entire vintage. In colder regions, growers remain vigilant for frost damage and……...