Weingut Bründlmayer

After a very early and strong bud break, the vegetation has slowed down again, and we are a good week behind compared to 2023. A second cool and unstable half of April and a changeable, not too warm May have also contributed to this. The somewhat heterogeneous start of flowering and the changeable early summer weather make the result of the flowering exciting. In the exposed locations we see a different fruit set before flowering, both in terms of the number of clusters and their development. In addition, rain and wind are currently affecting fertility. In earlier vineyards we can see young grapes that have shriveled (unfertilized flower parts trickle down to the ground like light sand when touched). This 'natural' reduction in yield can have a positive effect on quality and may save thinning. That would be helpful, as work in the vineyard is particularly intensive at the moment: from protecting the leaves and fruit to caring for the vines (clearing vines, trimming trunks) and the soil (opening individual rows, rolling the high green cover, etc.), all of our strength will be required well into the summer. Winemaking is always about dealing with the risk of achieving optimum quality from the many whims and gifts of nature using the simplest and most consistent steps possible.