High Temps (90's) During Spring?

It looks like Sonoma is going to see several days in the high 80’s and low 90’s this week, and I am just curious to know if high temps like these can cause havok on freshly budded and possibly flowering vines. You always hear about high temps late in the season and how they can sunburn or shrivel the grapes; and you hear about how wet conditions and/or rain can cause poor set or coloure early in the season.

Any feedback appreciated, thanks!

High 80’s and low 90’s aren’t that unusual in Sonoma or Napa this time of year. I remember moving in 2001 when it was 97 on tax day, April 15th. Don’t think I’ve seen that again since. I does seem like we have had more wind than usual which I guess helps keep mildew pressure down. But it could cause some issues during flowering if it continues.

Actually the higher heat in the Spring is a positive. The high heat produces Heat Shock Proteins which are protective to the plant later on in the summer when temperatures rise much hotter and conditions are not as kind. It actually allows the vine to go through an acclimation process so the vine can be more protected during unrelenting summer heat and winds. Springs that are very cool and early summers that go from cool to intense prolonged heat are much more problematic. Source: Wine Journal Monthly article and personal conversation with author, Mark Greenspan, Ph.D., CCA, CPAg, President and Viticulturist, Advanced Viticulture, Inc.

The only thing this weather seems to worry me about is sulfur burn if someone is spraying. We had a touch of burn last week. Vines are growing so fast now that node length might be a little crazy? For the most part we’re loving how things look.

Great answers! Thanks everybody. My backyard vines in Ohio love the few days of 80’s we’ve had lately and are taking off.

Indeed, the heat spikes that obliterated so many vineyards in the RRV in 2010 aren’t at all unusual. What was highly unusual was that until then, it had hardly been over 85ºF the entire year. The vines just weren’t prepared for it.

Unfortunately we experience this last summer…my guess is that MUCH of all of European wineries experienced this last year too.

Ouch! I don’t follow the European vintages all that closely, except to hear that 2012 was generally not good.
My condolences, Nola