A wet and comparatively mild spring has led to and early bud burst this year, Rondo and Chardonnay led the way in the South East on the 2nd of April.Pinot Noir and Bacchus followed a few days later. Pinot Blanc burst on April 2nd in West Sussex and over 7days later in Kent. There has been a fair amount of die back in some recent plantings almost certainly due to the sodden year. There seems to be fair proportion of blind buds across most varietals.
Frost has been at the forefront of mosts growers minds . The burners have been fired 3 times this year at Hush Heath and have done their job. Temperatures were not too extreme and most growers in the South East have escaped quite lightly.