Significance of the Rose Bushes at Messina Hof Estate

In just a few short weeks, Messina Hof will host the 34^th annual Wine and Roses Festival. During this beautiful time of year, we experience the beginning of the lifecycle of the grapes. (Click here to see the lifecycle of the vine) But why do we have the rose bushes at the winery and why are they so important to the festival? An old world tradition, rose bushes are indicator plants that sit at the end of the rows of vines. Roses tend to get the same diseases as grapevines, but the signs can appear two weeks earlier, tipping off the winemaker to any potential problems. Our Wine and Roses Festival pays homage to this tradition as well as honors the budding of the vines and blooming of the roses. Plus, it’s a good excuse to celebrate!