Spring of 2013 was unusually dry and mild leading to budburst a good two weeks early.October was warm and dry with half the normal rainfall and November continued to be very warm with six days over 25 degrees and one at almost 30 degrees – summer temperatures! The early trend continued with Chardonnay flowering in full swing on the 13th compared with the usual first week of December. Flowering went well in all varieties. By late November soils were beginning to dry out although 70mm of rain on the 26th and 29th replaced soil moisture keeping the vines happy.
