Though it’s easy to find reasons to visit Napa Valley at various times throughout the year, spring is certainly special. The sun is shining, the weather is mild and enjoyable, nature is waking up for another glorious year, and perhaps most importantly, the buds in the 400+ vineyards across Napa Valley are beginning to break. Spring is the antithesis of fall’s glorious year-ending harvest; it’s a time of renewal and new beginnings. Clear signs that spring is well under way in Napa Valley are the colorful carpets of mustard growing between the vines and the bud break now occurring across the hills of Northern California. Book your room at our romantic Bed and Breakfast this spring, and enjoy nature’s reawakening with us.
Bud Break Comes Early
Bud break is an exciting time in Napa Valley, and it’s ultimately where the great wines of 2016 have their beginnings. During bud break, the vineyards that have been dormant throughout the winter months display their first signs of spring. The first tender buds of the growing season emerge in the early months of spring, growing up to 1.5 inches a day until eventually tiny clusters of grapes begin to form. Though the Napa Valley is only 30 miles long, bud break and flowering can take up to two months to travel the length of the valley due to the differences in both elevation and temperature. The southern Carneros region near San Pablo Bay tends to be cooler when compared to the northern Calistoga region.
This year, bud break in Napa Valley seems to be happening earlier than ever before, thanks in large part to the warmer and drier winter. So far, the wine growing season seems to be on track to start a full two or more weeks earlier than usual. Thankfully, problematic frosts don’t seem to be an issue for the early buds this year, but an early bud break could mean harvest will come early to Napa Valley, too. Though weekends in Napa Valley can still be packed and busy during the spring months, the weekdays are decidedly quiet. It’s during these quieter times that the true character of Napa Valley can be experienced. Like a fine wine, a visit to Napa Valley shouldn’t be rushed, but instead should be a time to relax, restore and reconnect. While you’re in Napa Valley this spring, try not to miss the annual Flavor! festival in March. Here, you’ll find an all-star lineup of chefs and winemakers offering the best farm-to-table cuisine and world-class wines available in Napa Valley. Book your room at our romantic Napa Valley Inn today, so you can enjoy Napa Valley’s renewing springtime spirit at its best.
