Bud Break is Here & So is Spring: Harvest 2014

Spring is finally here, which gets us one step closer to 2014 Harvest!  Believe it or not with our spotty (albeit almost obsolete) rain and milder forecast than we are used to (downright cold I know for our non West Coast friends) but the buds are starting to break nicely here in Napa Valley.  We are excited to see the progress made on our vines.  Check out two videos taken in March, the first shows the progress of our Syrah buds and the second our Pinot Noir buds. Both are grown at renowned Hyde Vineyard in Napa Valley.

But what exactly is bud break do you ask?  Bud break is the “green point” in a vine’s growth. As the ground warms up, hormones activate in the roots sending a message to the vine to grow. Moisture then climbs up the plant causing sap to flow which in return causes a “green point”/“bud break.”

Each bud contains tiny forms of all the ingredients (shoots, leaves, tendrils, berries) needed to become successful grapes.  We like to see the bud break because once sap flows, buds grow!

What is that white netting you see? This is a thin web like covering of cottony fibers that protect the bud called tomentum.  Once leaves appear this will shatter and become obsolete.

Still curious? Send us a question to Gustavo and he will be happy to impart some of his Winemaker Wisdom!