Giornale Meritage Newsletter

"From Grape to Glass" – The First In a Series of What's Happening Now In The Vineyard

Toasting a Different Kind of Spring Break

Spring Break means something entirely different in the Napa Valley vineyards. This is when the winter vines signal that the growing season has begun and tiny buds break through. Goodbye winter! Hello to another vintage born! Now is the time for the process of “shoot thinning” following each bud break—a necessary process completed to control the quantity and size of each cluster.

This is an especially significant time for viticulturists who closely watch new bud and leafing activity. It’s a multi-tasking endeavor where there’s winter pruning to be done, changing weather aspects to monitor and even between-row grass to mow. Frost is a crop killer, so any sign of this icy aspect is vigilantly watched for and the weather is checked constantly. If there are sudden signs of frost, wind machines may be turned on to bring in warm air. This forced warmth protects the brand new baby buds from frost damage. There are some vineyards that even spray a fine mist of water onto the vines during the coldest periods which help to keep the frost from causing damage.

So the next time you swirl a perfect chardonnay in your glass, remember to toast the newly emerging grape that started it all—and the dedicated vintner who protected its precious passage from the vine to you.