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Cook Vineyard Weekly Newsletter 3.5.12

We are all waiting for the first buds to push in the vineyards. Last weekend we saw some spring like temperatures that may accelerate some of the vineyards out of dormancy. This week’s forecast is for much cooler weather with some chances of rain mid-week. This may hold off bud-break for a few more days. In 2010 our first bud-break was on March 12 and in 2011 March 15th. It is too early to tell but it seems likely to begin at the end of this week in a few vineyards.

Our weather pattern for 2012 has been very dry compared to last year’s winter where we received a lot of precipitation. So how does this affect our vineyards?

Some dry farmed vineyards may have some issues later in the season due to the dry winter, but for the majority of the irrigated vineyards there won’t be any effect. Our balance in nature and the vineyard is based on weather, some insects thrive in certain climates and weather patterns and some don’t. It is too early to tell if it will be the beneficial insects or the not so beneficial ones with the higher population this year.

Any bud-break to occur this week would be in vineyards with a very early bud-break. We are predicting the majority of Chardonnay vineyards to pop around March 21, which coincides with 2010.

Spring is fourteen days away, even though it seems it already started last week!

If anyone wants to visit us in the vineyards to learn more about the world of viticulture, Please call us at 707.490.8921. Also check our website  www.cvmgrapes.com.