It’s the time of year, when the days get a bit longer (and allegedly a bit brighter), that we start to think about the renewal and rejuvenation of the bodega. This year we couldn’t afford Bob the Builder, so we decided to call Pedro the Painter instead (that’s really his name)! Clearly we have to keep the bodega clean at all times, and more especially, after a very cool, damp winter we have to take preventative measures against the growth of mould. One of the most effective methods is simply to redecorate the walls using special mould resistant paints. Large areas of the cellar are actually tiled and so do not pose a problem, but there are still one or two areas that need the occasional lick of paint, and springtime presents us with the perfect opportunity.

Today we are painting the famous ’39 steps’ between the grape reception at the top of the bodega, and the tank room, two floors below (at ground level). I know each single step of this staircase very well, as it keeps me fit during the harvest when I make this climb several hundred times…. or at least, that’s how it feels. Hopefully everything will be finished in the next day or two, so that we have have a thorough, deep clean and return everything to normal in time for some spring bottling.

It’s the time of year, when the days get a bit longer (and allegedly a bit brighter), that we start to think about the renewal and rejuvenation of the bodega. This year we couldn’t afford Bob the Builder, so we decided to call Pedro the Painter instead (that’s really his name)! Clearly we have to keep the bodega clean at all times, and more especially, after a very cool, damp winter we have to take preventative measures against the growth of mould. One of the most effective methods is simply to redecorate the walls using special mould resistant paints. Large areas of the cellar are actually tiled and so do not pose a problem, but there are still one or two areas that need the occasional lick of paint, and springtime presents us with the perfect opportunity.

Today we are painting the famous ’39 steps’ between the grape reception at the top of the bodega, and the tank room, two floors below (at ground level). I know each single step of this staircase very well, as it keeps me fit during the harvest when I make this climb several hundred times…. or at least, that’s how it feels. Hopefully everything will be finished in the next day or two, so that we have have a thorough, deep clean and return everything to normal in time for some spring bottling.