Congratulations: It's a Bud!

Bud Break: Those magical words in the wine industry when our lovely little "soldiers" come back to life.  Think Conformation or Bar/Bat Mitzva... a big deal in the life of a wine grape.

Basically we are talking about the start of a new growing season from which, depending on the varietal, you can approximate the harvest date. 

Now the fact that it's already beginning here in the Dry Creek Valley AVA is a bit weird.  The big story here is waiting out the rest of the Winter (yes, it's still Winter here) and the treat of frost.  

Those young buds aren't crazy about frost!  "Death of a primary shoot usually results in subsequent development of a shoot from the secondary growing point."  Something growers really would rather avoid.  Like other farmers, wine growers spend these days hoping for the best.