Spring in Sonoma Wine Country/Pedroncelli Winery

Breaking bud.This is the latest from Pedroncelli winery!Spring is an incredible time of the year,and this spring has been beautiful.Time to get started all over again!Cheers! Bud break!I for one am holding out hope for more rain. So far a modest amount has fallen somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 inches since last October. Annual rainfall is measured between July 1 and June 30 but our ‘rainy’ months are passing quickly. Average rainfall, when we get it, is between 35 and 40 inches so we have a long gap to fill after three years of drought. The good news is the two lakes, Sonoma and Mendocino, are near or at capacity now. I can’t help but think about most of the U.S. submerged in frigid weather and tons of snow. I feel like I am rubbing salt in the proverbial wound when I talk about our weather. Another wrench in the gears of our climate is the moderate and warm weather in both January and February along with the Pineapple Express, that wasn’t very cold, dropping its load of rain mid-February. This means all the growing things, like vines, fruit or oak trees and flowers, thinks it’s pretty darn near spring. As a result of the warm weather we have bud break in our Sangiovese. This hilltop vineyard always seems to be the first in line when it comes to spring growth…except it is technically winter. Lance and crew are keeping an eye on things as we progress through the month. Early harvest predictions aside, it looks like Mother Nature is throwing a bit of a curve. Let’s see what the growing season has in store for us and, as always, I’ll keep you informed.