Budbreak; a sign of Spring

Yes, it’s bud break time in the vineyard! The bare vines, dormant all winter, are just starting to spring back into action. The fuzzy white buds in the early-ripening varietals (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) are now bursting open to reveal the very first of the tender green leaf tips. This is the first emergence of growth that will eventually bear fruit. Most often vines in the Russian River Valley will break later because of the cooler climate and fog cover that can linger in the early morning. This is an exciting yet delicate process as threats of frost can come as late as May as seen in past years. The transition from dormancy to bud break comes as the days lengthen and the soil is warmed by the sun, awakening the vine from its dormant state. The vine uses its stored energy and food to start producing new growth. From a pruned vine this new growth pushes out into the light eventually using the sunlight as its energy source.
The wet winter of 2010 was a pleasant surprise for growers after several years of less than average rainfall. However, with farming there is always room for concern as a potential late Spring rain can damage crops by knocking blooms and buds off the vine. I asked my dad about his thoughts with the threat of late rain, his response:

“Like so many things in farming it comes down to Mother Nature’s sense of humor.”

The next step in the vineyard after bud break is bloom when the buds begin to flower and we get the first glimpse of what this years harvest will bring. Stay tuned!