We recently shared the news of bud break in our vineyard. Now, a few weeks later, the vines have moved to the next critical stage: flowering.
If you’ve visited the tasting room recently, you may have noticed the vines are suddenly full and green. A closer look reveals small clusters of tiny florets between the leaves. This is bloom — one of the more important and delicate periods in the entire growing season. What happens over the next few weeks directly determines how much fruit sets, and ultimately how much wine we make.
Each flower, if successfully pollinated, becomes a single grape berry. We’re hoping for warm, dry, and calm conditions over the next few weeks to increase the chance flowers set properly. Rain, wind, or cold during this window can cause “shatter” — flowers that don’t set — which reduces yields.
Right now our Viognier is furthest along at about 90% flowering, with early fruit development already visible on some clusters. Pinot Noir and Syrah are close behind, and Sauvignon Blanc is just getting started. Canopy growth has been strong and even across the vineyard — a good sign heading into this critical stage.
Flowering season looks a little different here in the hills of Jamul than it does in cooler coastal wine regions. East County San Diego gives us warm days that push the vines forward, but our elevation and the marine influence from the Pacific keep nights cool enough to preserve acidity in the fruit. It’s a delicate balance — and one that makes San Diego wine country more interesting than most people expect. We’ll keep a close eye on the vines over the next few weeks and share an update as fruit set progresses.