At the Kistler family’s main Bodega Ridge vineyard, things are running early this year, thanks to a warm spell in February and March. The vines have jumped out to a quick start, which means aspects of the growth cycle are ahead of schedule. One of those is flowering, which will ultimately determine the size of the crop. An early season has both good and potentially problematic aspects, with frost and windy or rainy conditions a worry. Here, Catherine Kistler explains where the vineyard is in its early development and what issues have to be monitored.