Wine Diary
Young shoots!
We always feel excited watching the bud break and sprouting in our vineyards! It is a fascinating spectacle: At first one just sees the tips of the young shoots, while the rest is still hidden in the protective wool. Then, slowly, the leaves begin to unfold, and finally tiny inflorescences, the future grapes can be observed on some shoots, giving us a first promise for a new harvest. In this phase, when we downright watch the vines grow, we deeply feel the force of nature!
At the same time, there is need for further tending: just as the gardener is separating or thinning out young clusters of saplings, giving the remaining plants more space to develop, the grower has to pluck off excessive sprouts, so that in the end each vine would not send more than 10 shoots into the air. While competing for the best positions in the sun, the vines should not shadow each other too much. Too dense of a canopy would favor fungal diseases and lead to poor fruit quality.
It is much too dry for the season and no rain in sight for the next week. Maybe therefore, despite of the wonderful sunny days, bud break went on rather slowly. Also, the nights remain very cool and the danger of late frosts has not been averted yet.