Vintage 2024: Chardonnay Buds are Awakening!

My husband and I are working as fast as we can to prune and lay down our fruiting canes. We know that the Chardonnay is the first to bud break and we typically begin pruning there but this year we began in the west where the Auxerrois are planted, followed by 17 rows of Chenin Blanc and are making our way east. On April 8, before we finished pruning all of the Chenin Blanc, we decided that we needed to skip over to the Chardonnay and prune the 8 rows there. It was a good decision! The rain and the warm weather are conspiring for budbreak to occur in the Chardonnay. When we began on April 8, the buds were dormant but today, we are seeing a mixture of buds in the scale opening and wooly bud stages. At the very tips and on thin lateral shoots we are even seeing a little pink!

Fortunately for us, our granddaughter is here on her spring break and came yesterday. Today, she worked a full day and with her help we are making good work through the Chardonnay!
I went to check on the Auxerrois and the Chenin Blanc where the canes have been laid down and the buds there still look very dormant.
I thought of a mnemonic for us: Taxes and all pruning due on April 15!