Budbreak is terrifying (but hopeful)

With the recent warm weather, we're starting to see budbreak in our earlier-sprouting varietals, particularly Viognier and Grenache.  A Grenache vine pushes, below:

As usual, we're seeing earlier budbread at the tops of the hills, which are less often frosted because the cold air slumps down the hillsides and settles in low-lying areas.  Many mornings, the temperature difference between the hilltops and the valleys is as much as 8 degrees.  Our hilltops tend to receive their last frosts in early April, while our valleys are prone to frosts all the way into May.  In fact, one morning last June, Neil Collins (our winemaker, who lives on the property with his family, in one of the lowest, coldest spots near the creek) emerged to find ice on his car.

Budbreak is a touch early this year; normally, we don't see it until the first or second week of April.  And this early start is plenty scary.  We normally get a few limited frosts in the second half of April, and are at real risk of a killing freeze in early April.  Neil doesn't really relax until Wine Festival, the third weekend of May.

One element we have in our defense against frosts is our frost-protection fan system, with which we blow cold air that has pooled in a low-lying area up a chimney, allowing it to be replaced by the warmer air that may be just a few feet above.  One of these octagonal fans is visible in the background of the photo below:

Budbreak does not hit the entire vineyard evenly.  Not only do the tops of the hills push first, but younger vines push earlier.  (As if we needed another reason to appreciate older vines!)  Below, a replanted vine is several inches out while the older vines on either side have barely sprouted:

At the same time, budbreak is hopeful -- a symbol of renewal.  Each year, you have the chance to make something you've never made before, and with the vineyard a year older than it's ever been, every expectation that your ceiling is higher than it's ever been.  So, you hold your breath and know that each cold night you avoid a major frost, the Northern Hemisphere tilts slightly more toward the sun, the days get a few minutes longer and you're one day closer to not having to worry through those cold nights.  Finally, two more photos, both of which (for me) catch the hopefulness of the season:

Comments

[Dave Chouiniere]

Thanks so much for these pictures. I've been wanting to see some buds break. But now that you explain the danger, maybe I could have waited!

[Arthur Przebinda]

Great photos! I visited your winery the weekend of WoPN. Things are changing fast in your vineyard!

[Jason Haas]

Hi Arthur,

Yes... things move fast this time of year. Already, not quite two weeks later, we're seeing budbreak in all of our varietals, and keeping fingers crossed that we keep dodging damage from the light frosts we've been getting most nights.

But, all that worry aside, the vineyard looks vibrantly healthy after all our rain this year, and we're excited to see what we get...

Thanks!
-Jason

[Arthur]

Hi Jason

We've had a very warm day today (97 F in Irvine).

Could you let me know how the weather was in your vineyards and if you have any concerns over the impact of the temperature on the vines at this stage in the cycle?

I did not see a contact link/email for you but you have my email.

[Jason Haas]

Hi Arthur,

It doesn't sound like it's been as hot up here as it has down in Irvine (97 - wow!). It only got up to 86 on Saturday and 87 on Sunday, and it's supposed to be significantly cooler today and the rest of this week. Still, the warmth really got things going, and vines are well out all over the Paso Robles region now. That's scary, since it's still only mid-April. We've gotten several close shaves with frost, with very minor damage so far.

Except for the risk that sprouted vines have from frost, I don't otherwise worry about early-season heat. It's overall hot enough here, and that heat is distributed throughout the year, that it tends to even itself out.

Thanks for the comment!
-Jason