If you’ve walked down our vineyard rows recently, you may have spotted a new kind of team member rolling quietly among the vines. Her name is Emma — a vineyard robot designed by Budbreak, a young ag-tech company founded by Jonathan Moon and his colleagues.
We’ve received many curious questions from guests about Emma’s purpose, and for good reason. She represents an exciting step forward in how growers like us care for our vines and protect the land we steward here in Rutherford.
Why Emma Matters for Napa Valley
Viruses and disease remain some of the greatest challenges facing grape growers across the world, including here in Napa Valley. Protecting vine health is essential not just for the quality of wine, but for the longevity and sustainability of vineyards themselves.
Emma is an AI scout, carefully surveying each vine to identify signs of viruses and other threats before they become visible to the human eye. By finding problems early, Emma helps farmers make proactive, thoughtful decisions to keep vineyards thriving.
From Cornell to Round Pond
Emma is part of a much larger movement in agricultural innovation. Cornell University has been at the forefront of vineyard robotics, recently launching their PhytoPatholoBot project to help grape growers detect and manage disease in real time. Their researchers believe technology like this could reduce pesticide use by up to 90% — a remarkable advancement in sustainable farming. (You can read more about Cornell’s groundbreaking work here)
Jonathan’s path to Round Pond has been just as inspiring. After building robotics for strawberry fields at Google, he turned his attention to vineyards, sharing with us that “grapes have converted me from strawberries.” His dedication is evident — and what excites him most is the chance to work with the people in this industry, which he calls the primary reason he’s moving forward with Budbreak.
Looking Ahead
For us at Round Pond, innovations like Emma align beautifully with our mission to care for the land while crafting world-class wines. Technology doesn’t replace the skill or intuition of farmers — it strengthens them, giving us new tools to make more informed, sustainable decisions. Emma is just one more way we’re working to protect our land, our vines, and the wines we craft for generations to come.
Learn More about Emma
Article: Autonomous robots to help modernize grape, wine industry
Article: Robot matches humans in scouting for vineyard diseases
Learn More About Round Pond’s Mission
Budbreak Innovations
Website: budbreakinnovations.com
Contact: jmoon@budbreakinnovations.com
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