Well, our Victoria Day weekend was spent out in the field uncovering and tying the Chardonnay and Pinot vines. On the Monday we trooped out in very chilly weather (so cold I was bundled up in my winter kit!) to work on tying our Baco Noir to the wires for what will become a permanent trellis system. (For those of you not familiar with Baco Noir, it's a cold-hardy hybrid which can survive uncovered in up to -30 degree cold, unlike our other vines which have to be covered with dirt through the winter in order to survive.)
We're already starting to get florets (the precursor to grape clusters) throughout the vineyard, but it was especially exciting to see them in the Baco Noir as they're so plentiful there. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come - on one plant alone we counted almost 50 florets! The downside of all this wonderful growth is that we have to be extra-careful tying the vines, as the buds and florets are still fragile and will pop off if handled too roughly.