 It will always bud after Chardonnay, Gamay and Pinot noir, and thus have much less risk of suffering from spring time frost, but will bud much earlier than Cabernet Franc.Depending on the vintage, Pineau d'Aunis will usually bud around 4 to 5 days before Chenin blanc followed by flowering at about the same time as Chenin.Like Gamay, Pineau d'Aunis will develop thick, reddish-color stalks in the autumn with the leaves changing color to a bright red with purple/bluish veins.