BUD BREAK STARTS 2018 HARVEST EXCITEMENT

What is Bud Break?! Well, in the wine industry, it’s a pretty big deal! With warm temperatures and drier soils, vines emerge from dormancy and begin to push water up from their root systems. Miniature buds on the vine, developed during the prior year, begin to swell, eventually producing shoots from the bud. With the arrival of bud break, grape growers now have to keep close attention to low night time temperatures in order to prevent the threat of frost, which could ruin the delicate shoots. Here in Sonoma County, we had an early bud break this year which has some wine growers worried about frost. There are actions that can be taken when attempting to save the fragile buds from frost. Growers will sometimes use sprinklers to provide an icy coat on the vines, which helps keep the newly formed vines protected at a safe 32 degree temperature.

Bud break is an exciting time of the year because it’s when the winery comes out of winter dormancy and becomes warm and green once again!

Stay tuned for more production updates throughout our growing season!