By this time last year our harvest had already been collected and fermentations were well under way. What a difference 12 months can make – today we are still waiting to start. Over the last few days Angela has busy in the lab analysing grape samples, and whilst the potential alcohol is looking good, the acidity is still a bit too elevated……. not to mention that, for the last two days, it has been raining! It’s perhaps an odd thing to say, but a little rain just before we start to pick is not necessarily a bad thing. During long, dry periods the grapes gather dust on the skins, and obviously a drop of rain can actually help to clean the fruit. Of course we don’t want too much otherwise this will simply serve to dilute the must (grape juice).

According to our local denomination office the 2012 harvest will only be 50% of last year’s volume, but until we have the fruit safely gathered this is only their estimate. Certainly our own vineyards have produced less, and regrettably one or two of our suppliers have said that their yield is so small that they won’t even bother to pick. After last years huge harvest I have always said that I would prefer a smaller, good quality campaign, and so far it would seem that at least half of my wish has been granted. Quality? We will have to wait and see…..

By this time last year our harvest had already been collected and fermentations were well under way. What a difference 12 months can make – today we are still waiting to start. Over the last few days Angela has busy in the lab analysing grape samples, and whilst the potential alcohol is looking good, the acidity is still a bit too elevated……. not to mention that, for the last two days, it has been raining! It’s perhaps an odd thing to say, but a little rain just before we start to pick is not necessarily a bad thing. During long, dry periods the grapes gather dust on the skins, and obviously a drop of rain can actually help to clean the fruit. Of course we don’t want too much otherwise this will simply serve to dilute the must (grape juice).

According to our local denomination office the 2012 harvest will only be 50% of last year’s volume, but until we have the fruit safely gathered this is only their estimate. Certainly our own vineyards have produced less, and regrettably one or two of our suppliers have said that their yield is so small that they won’t even bother to pick. After last years huge harvest I have always said that I would prefer a smaller, good quality campaign, and so far it would seem that at least half of my wish has been granted. Quality? We will have to wait and see…..