Is it climate change? or is it something else?Here we are again, waiting for springtime to begin and, lo, here it is! The East and Midwest are freezing, Texas is dealing with ice and snow, more storms are on the way, and we Californians(and Oregonians and Washingtonians)bask in summer-like conditions, 15degrees above normal for the period. Without the morning dew, the trip to the morning paper is like a stroll at the beach.
Vineyard owners are getting concerned: the groundhog followers say it will be an early spring-bud break could be just around the corner. Timing, it's all about timing. Ag workers are still on vacation break: will they be recalled? Alas, wine sales volume is down, prices are soft, lenders are wringing their hands, and private labels are causing grief among the large producers: how can we maintain our margins when these upstarts give it away?
I drove through the Russian river valley yesterday, another gorgeous day, and saw many vines still with their canes intact. Could be that managers are waiting to see what the economics will be for the coming season. How much will be spent on maintenance/care before the growing season begins?
The vineyards appeared as they normally would in the middle of winter: serene, stripped of foliage, transparent, waiting for the surge of spring to begin. Absolutely no work is in progress and all equioment is in the barn or in the shop, all perfectly normal. But without a return to winter conditions, it could all change in a matter of weeks.
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