03/31/2026
One of the most fascinating things about wine is that no two vintages are ever the same. Every growing season features a myriad of different factors, from rainfall amounts to temperature fluctuations.
This duo photo shows the exact same block of Pinot Noir, and illustrates the significant differences already emerging between 2025 and 2026.
2025 featured an incredibly cool (make that cold) Spring which slowed shoot growth. In sharp contrast, 2026 has started with a warm winter (resulting in earlier budbreak) and quite warm (so far) Spring. As of the last days of March, we are seeing larger, stronger shoots than we did a full two months later last year.
It’s far too early to predict what sort of weather and growth patterns we will see over the remainder of the growing season, but it’s off to a strong start. Vines are happy!