After the January cold, below zero, we have had the chance to do some preliminary assessment of cold damage.
The results are confounding!
Typically Cabernet Sauvignon is one of our cultivars least affected by cold. At the research center and in our vineyard it’s sustained quite a bit of bud loss. In the neighborhood of 25-35% primary bud mortality. It may result in a lighter than average crop level, BUT, if conditions of bloom are great, it may be a normal crop.
Traditionally we consider Chenin Blanc one of the more tender varieties. This event, in our vineyard, is one of the least impacted cultivars, with essentially no damage to buds.
Buds are the first place cold damage shows. The damage to the vascular tissues, xylem, and phloem, doesn’t reveal itself till spring when sap flow begins and doesn’t fully reveal itself until we get a scorching day that requires a full flow of water from roots to canopy.
Don’t worry, be happy! We, and the state will have plenty of grapes to make your wine. The World and Washington are currently oversupplied, if World production dropped 50% it would just use up the surplus.
Right now we are having mild weather, and the dogs and I are enjoying time in the vineyard pruning. Temperatures this week are about 5 degrees above average, upper 40’s, mostly sunny. Really lovely.
