Journal | June 8, 2026

Flowering and Set

Finally a weather break. We’ve had ideal conditions for flowering over the past 10 days: hot and dry. Cabernet Sauvignon clusters went from trace bloom to full bloom in a matter of a few days which may help mitigate the uneven cluster development we’ve been seeing (probably due to the hard winter).

Unfortunately Chardonnay was in full bloom ten days ago during a week of rain. Cool, rainy weather is problematic. I anticipate less than ideal set. Set refers to the percentage of flowers that are successfully fertilized. Typically only around 30% of flowers become grapes. Less than that results in loose, scraggly clusters. This reduces yields. Alternatively, a higher percentage can lead to big, tight clusters were the berries eventually crowd and push against each other. This can lead to rot, cracking and poor quality, especially in a wet vintage.

It’s still a bit early to make the call, but this adds to a turbulent growing season.

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Hardscrabble Journal: June 8, 2026