Hail me a cab.

No need, my cab is already here.
Budbreak in the Cabernet sauvignon vines is not particularly widespread, but it is taking place in the usual places; against a retaining wall, up on the top of a slope, in the more youthful vines. The weather is fantastic, so the vines can't be blamed for getting a little bit of an early start this year. The Cabernet vines have a long way to go if they are trying to catch up with the Orange muscat vines though.  At around 26 inches in height already, the Orange muscat shoots are way out ahead.
Next up, trunk suckering and shoot thinning.

Spur of the moment.

Displaying almost perfect form, this Orange Muscat vine was the first vine to be pruned in Vinoland for 2013.  Phew!  I'm always relieved to be finally started with this particular vineyard operation: pruning is the single, most important thing that you can do to a vine.
The pruned piece of wood in the foreground was last year's cane. This year's cane is on the right and grew last year from the uppermost bud of a two bud spur.  This year's two bud spur is on the left and it is the pruning unit that will grow this season and produce next year's cane and two bud spur.  And so on, and so forth.  Get it?  It's easier to grasp in person, I promise.
I'm not totally chuffed with the position of the lower bud, on the new spur, as it's facing too much toward the head of the vine.  But the upper bud, which will be next year's cane, is faultlessly facing along the fruiting wire.  I love pruning.

Suck it up!

I finished pruning Vinoland's white grape varietals today (this is a Pinot gris bud).
Looks like I was just in time. The ground is apparently warming up and signalling to the grapevines to get on with bud break. It hasn't been a very cold winter so it doesn't really surprise me to see something that looks suspiciously like bud-swelling in the Orange muscat. It is all a bit bothersome though, as now I have to worry about frost.
In a neighbouring vineyard a mechanic was tinkering with a large fan ensuring sure that it will run when needed, as all the fans in the valley have not been used since last April. Spring is truly just around the corner!