Congratulations, I think, are in order. I am extremely pleased to officially announce the birth of the 2009 vintage Michel-Schlumberger wines. We’re all very proud!
Yes, it’s bud break time in the vineyard. The bare vines, dormant all winter, are just starting to spring back into 
action. The fuzzy white buds in the early-ripening varietals (Chardonnay and Pinot noir) are now bursting open to reveal the very first of the tender green leaf tips. This is when it all begins — the very beginning of the 2009 vintage.
But that’s not all that’s new and exciting at the Michel-Schlumberger Estate. With Spring comes reanimation, reawakening, rekindling, renewal, resurrection, revival… It’s all happening Here and Now.
The insectary flowers we seeded out in the vineyard last fall are now blooming like crazy – sweet clover, poppies, alyssum, tidy tips and a whole lot more. These flowers provide a good source of food and habitat for beneficial insects – the good bugs that do our pest control for us.
The herbs and veggies in the organic garden are loving the longer, sunnier days. It’s especially cool to see all sorts of “volunteers” popping up. There’s lettuce, carrots, chard and mustard greens — all from naturally germinated seeds from plants left to bloom and set seed 
last Fall.
We took our first Spring peak into the honeybee hives last week. The bees are happy to be out and about again after waiting out the winter in the dark hives. And I’m sure they’re especially thrilled to find all of the blooming insectary flowers we planted for them, all loaded with pollen and nectar. We were especially thrilled to find abundant honey in the hives. It smells and tastes like the most exquisite Riesling.
Our resident pair of geese has returned to the lake from points South. They’ll be looking to nest soon. This week we’ll paddle out to tidy up “The Love Nest” – half of a cabernet wine barrel filled with straw on a small raft. Last year The 
Love Nest provided safe and cozy accommodations for the pair of geese and 4 goslings.
And finally, a REAL birth announcement: The Michel-Schlumberger vineyard dog, Peanut, gave birth to 10 bouncing puppies last week. Mom and pups are all doing fine. Javier Sr., our Vineyard Manager and the proud father of Peanut, will be looking for perspective pack leaders to share the puppy love soon. Anybody interested?
Happy Spring!
Tony
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Awww, puppies!!! My dawg is a spoiled only child who would have a fit if I adopted another.
Budbreak looks good. Did you prune for lower yields this year due to water pressures?
And totally separate question, did you see this beekeeper’s blog where he posits that imidacloprid used for GWSS might be contributing to colony collapse?
Seems unlikely to me.
Will we see you at Rhone Rangers on Sunday?
Cheers, Tina