Wine, a work in progress

"Spring is moving quickly through our estate vineyards, and we’re pleased to share that bloom is now underway.

Cabernet Franc at our Estate Seven Hills Vineyard led the start, with additional blocks and varieties beginning to bloom in the weeks ahead. As expected, Seven Hills is out in front, while our cooler Estate Ferguson Vineyard will follow shortly behind.

As bloom continues across our sites, we’re encouraged by the progress and look forward to sharing more as the season unfolds—bringing us one step closer to the next vintage of L’Ecole wines!"

- The Estate Team, L’Ecole Nº 41, 5/27/26

"Blink and suddenly the vineyard is showing off — vines flowering, baby clusters popping up, and our crew out there working their magic like proud plant parents (with a lot of pruning involved). It’s a beautiful and busy time here at Vino Noceto, and as the vineyard comes to life, so does our May calendar."

- Chella & the Noceto Crew, Vino Noceto Winery & Tasting Room, 5/5/26

"Much like home gardeners across the country, we look forward to watching tiny flower buds form - but the buds we are watching are located on thousands of vines across our vineyards.

The blooms that we get excited about are neither large, showy, nor even brightly colored. Instead, the bunches of tiny flower buds, the size of tiny pinheads, are the foundation of our future harvest.

The buds closely match the color of the young leaves, so they are almost hidden. Within each cluster, the self-pollinating flowers open over several days. High temperatures, rain, or high winds interfere with pollination, so keep your fingers crossed for the sunny, 80-degree calm days!"

- The Family Team, Alexander Valley Vineyards, 5/1/26