The timeline for bud break depends on the weather, however, most bud break happens around early April. As a general rule, a consistent average daily temperature of around 50 degrees is necessary before the soil to warm enough for the vines to wake up.
Bud break or “bud burst” is identifiable by the growth of new shoots and visible green tips on the grape vines. It’s especially exciting because it is the very first glimpse of what eventually become a cluster of grapes, and then of course, the fermented juice we all know and love as wine.
Certain varietals may exhibit bud break earlier than others. For example, it’s typical to see bud break on Chardonel, or Traminette (shown above) grapes before some of our other varietals like Tempranillo.
Bud break is an exciting time at Ox & Oak Vineyards – a sign that longer and warmer days are ahead, and with them the promise of a successful growing season.