Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: April 2022
We have been there, had that done to us. But this time is different. A mid-April frost in Willamette Valley wine country, just days after declaring bud break. After 20+ years of farming this piece of ground, we have NEVER had such an experience. A testament to this site is the fact that cherries were successfully grown and harvested here for years. Cherries are in bloom at the same time as wine berries bud out. From Frost’s point of view, taking out the cherry blossoms and the wine berry buds at the same time would be a twofer.
April snow in the Willamette Valley, Vintage 2022.
We would like to introduce you to Jack Frost. Apparently, Jack wanted to see bud break and visited himself upon the vineyard. And without an appointment! While his touch was felt everywhere, he showed a particular fondness for Gewürztraminer. That rapscallion! What a decade we have here. 2020 was fire and smoke, hold the brimstone. Then, 2021 was a little short in the labor department and now 2022 gives us the cold shoulder. Waft The Fruit?
The Big Picture
Cherries blooming during bud break.
But it’s not all bad. Up until the 14th of April, we had all manner of flora blooming. Not only cherries, but wildflowers to boot. Mother Nature has her color palette, and she is a master of imagery.
Oregon Fawn Lily.
Red Deadnettle and Creeping Speedwell.
Shooting Star.
Wild Iris.
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The Main Story: Cold Air Drainage
That is usually the vineyard answer to potential frost events. Vineyards on hillsides have a tendency for cold air to flow down the slope just like water would. Then the cold air pools at the foot of the slope, while up the hill the temperatures are warm enough to avoid frost. This is why site selection matters first and soils come second. Or as Dick Erath used to say, “From 400 to 600 feet elevation on Jory soils is a sure thing.” Well, as sure as anything can be in winegrowing.
But this time was different. The cold air came like a blanket and did not flow down the slope. Upper elevations and lower elevations seemed to fare the same. If you are going to put something in the freezer, it doesn’t really matter what shelf you choose.
What seemed to be the determining factor was the development of the buds. And here is where the elevation on the slope does matter. Typically, the lower elevations are warmer in the springtime. The warmer the area, the sooner the buds come out. And it is the development phase of the buds that determines how susceptible they are to frost.
Pinot Noir leaves starting to unfurl during bud break.
If the buds were still dormant, most likely they will just delay bud break and be fine. If the buds had a head start and unfurled a couple of leaves, then again, they are looking pretty good right now. But if the buds were just getting started, then that is where the most damage has occurred. Those primary buds were frosted and are dead.
What Does This Mean and Why Should I Care
But there is more to the story. The vines have had run-ins with Jack before. Sometimes Jack gets the better of the bargain, and the land is then used to grow potatoes, such as the Irish Lumper. You can only survive so many years with unproductive farmland.
The vines have a natural defense, the ones that didn’t failed to evolve. Inside each bud, there are actually 3 buds. And they are labeled as primary, secondary and tertiary. The buds that we see today are all the primary buds. They will either grow and produce wine berries, or they are frosted and will fall off.
If the frost event was not too severe, then the secondary bud will push after a week or so and we will have a shoot, and most likely some wine berries. If the secondary bud is also compromised, then the third and final bud may push. This is the survival bud. It will produce a shoot with leaves to sustain the vine through this growing season. Wine berries may be produced, but not many if at all. No wine berries, no wine.
From a practical point of view, we would prefer to harvest all of the wine berries from a vine during a single pass. However, if the vine has a combination of primary and secondary buds, then the flowering will most likely be weeks apart.
We typically add 105 days to the flowering date for harvest. If we have two flowering events that are weeks apart, then the harvest windows should be weeks apart. We will grant you that not every berry on a cluster is of uniform ripeness, but clusters that flower two weeks apart are most likely going to reflect two distinct vintages. That’s a recipe for a sugar, acid, aroma and flavor hodgepodge.
The big reveal comes in May, when we will see what we have to deal with. So, there it is. Winegrowing in the Willamette Valley, The Cold Shoulder Vintage 2022.
The Numbers
Speaking of hodgepodge, that was the month of April. The first half was typical with showers, sun, wind and Ernie ducking out into the vineyard whenever he could to get his cover crop drilled in. We called bud break on Friday, April 15th, a lovely bluebird day with high temperatures in the mid-70’s. Everything was right on schedule, and that’s all you could ask for as a winegrower.
Ernie drilling in cover crop.
But lurking in the shadows was Jack Frost. Beginning on Thursday, April 14th and lasting through Sunday the 17th, Jack Frost was afoot. The early to open buds were susceptible to his deadly touch. Our low temperature during this 4 day period was 27.0 degrees, with each night dipping below freezing.
The following week’s precipitation program vacillated between snow, rain, sleet and hail – in every possible combination. Not so bad if you were marooned in a cabin for date night – with plenty of firewood. The rest of the month was above freezing, but by then the damage was done. Wind driven rain and hail continued unabated.
April hail showers Vintage 2022.
Read ‘em and weep. The house wins this hand.
We miraculously recorded 50 Degree Days for the month of April. Our high temperature was 76.1 degrees recorded on April 7th at 4:36 pm. Our low temperature was a flat 27.0 degrees recorded the morning of April 15th from 5:48 to 6:36 am. We recorded a total of 5.01 inches of rain during April, with 3.05 inches coming in the first half of the month.
We will delve more deeply into frost damage and the agrarian challenges that await us next month as we muddle through Cold Shoulder Vintage 2022.
Kindest Regards,
Dena & Ernie