Thursday 17th September – Despite a cool, bright, sunny morning (only 12°C or 54°F), we decided to sit it out for another 24 hours. Our grapes were very healthy before the recent rain, and so we will make one final push tomorrow, thus avoiding the danger of rot having the time to take hold. The forecast for Friday is good, and so we have our fingers crossed that on this occasion the prediction might be accurate! Of course we will almost certainly have to handle the last few thousand kilos of grapes differently to the fruit picked before the rain, as there is no doubt that the must will be slightly dilute. Indeed, these few grapes will be separated completely from the rest of the harvest, and we will wait to see how they turn out once they have been converted into finished wine.

Meanwhile, inside the wine cellar, we have now started the first of our fermentations, seeding the first tanks during the morning. Clearly, with all the breaks we have had so far this year, there is no doubt that the period of seeding and fermentation is going to be more protracted than usual, the only compensation being that we started to pick a little earlier than in many previous vintages.

Today’s picture shows the Salnes Valley at about 9am this morning, with the mist still hanging in the air above the vineyards.Thursday 17th September – Despite a cool, bright, sunny morning (only 12°C or 54°F), we decided to sit it out for another 24 hours. Our grapes were very healthy before the recent rain, and so we will make one final push tomorrow, thus avoiding the danger of rot having the time to take hold. The forecast for Friday is good, and so we have our fingers crossed that on this occasion the prediction might be accurate! Of course we will almost certainly have to handle the last few thousand kilos of grapes differently to the fruit picked before the rain, as there is no doubt that the must will be slightly dilute. Indeed, these few grapes will be separated completely from the rest of the harvest, and we will wait to see how they turn out once they have been converted into finished wine.

Meanwhile, inside the wine cellar, we have now started the first of our fermentations, seeding the first tanks during the morning. Clearly, with all the breaks we have had so far this year, there is no doubt that the period of seeding and fermentation is going to be more protracted than usual, the only compensation being that we started to pick a little earlier than in many previous vintages.

Today’s picture shows the Salnes Valley at about 9am this morning, with the mist still hanging in the air above the vineyards.