It’s quite amazing to think that in only a few week time we will have the Northern Hemisphere summer solstice – it doesn’t seem that long ago that the days were grey and cold. Oh, just a minute, that was only a week or two ago!

In our vineyards it seems that most of the flowering is just about complete, and whilst the weather was not totally perfect (with a couple of damp, grey days thrown in), it looks like it has passed off quite successfully. Certainly the number of bunches per vine is well down on last year, but of course, as 2011 was by far the biggest vintage ever recorded, this is only to be expected.

So, today starts a slight change in our daily routine as our Bodega moves from the winter timetable to the summer timetable. We are already quite different from many other businesses in Spain as our working day is not split in two by a long lunch break, and so today we will be working from 8am until 4pm. (In winter we work a simple 9am to 5pm). This gives us more time for the beach!

Although I am only joking about that last remark, I did notice a road sign the other day, giving directions to Praia do Caeiro (Praia means beach in Galician), but I should emphasise that there is absolutely  no connection between this beach and one of our main wine brands Casal Caeiro. Indeed, Caeiro is just a place name, and in this instance the place, or should I say beach, is actually several kilometers from our wine cellar. (Although I must say that having a business on the beach is an attractive idea – we could sell albariño ice lollies).

It’s quite amazing to think that in only a few week time we will have the Northern Hemisphere summer solstice – it doesn’t seem that long ago that the days were grey and cold. Oh, just a minute, that was only a week or two ago!

In our vineyards it seems that most of the flowering is just about complete, and whilst the weather was not totally perfect (with a couple of damp, grey days thrown in), it looks like it has passed off quite successfully. Certainly the number of bunches per vine is well down on last year, but of course, as 2011 was by far the biggest vintage ever recorded, this is only to be expected.

So, today starts a slight change in our daily routine as our Bodega moves from the winter timetable to the summer timetable. We are already quite different from many other businesses in Spain as our working day is not split in two by a long lunch break, and so today we will be working from 8am until 4pm. (In winter we work a simple 9am to 5pm). This gives us more time for the beach!

Although I am only joking about that last remark, I did notice a road sign the other day, giving directions to Praia do Caeiro (Praia means beach in Galician), but I should emphasise that there is absolutely  no connection between this beach and one of our main wine brands Casal Caeiro. Indeed, Caeiro is just a place name, and in this instance the place, or should I say beach, is actually several kilometers from our wine cellar. (Although I must say that having a business on the beach is an attractive idea – we could sell albariño ice lollies).