After months of cold, wet and generally miserable weather we are finally enjoying a bit of sunshine! For almost a week now the sun has been out albeit that temperatures are not exactly breaking any records. Daytime temperatures are now hovering around the 20°C (68°F) mark, whilst at night the thermometer is still dropping to single figures – around 8° or 9°C (just below 50°F). It’s still a little chilly and with clear skies at night the danger of spring frost remains a very real threat. I should add that, from a personal point of view, this is probably my favourite time of year. The air is still quite fresh and temperatures are not too oppressive – this is possibly something to do with my northern English upbringing.

As you drive around our valley you really begin to notice the first signs of spring as the new green shoots and leaves begin to dominate in the vineyards. In winter the fields are a rather dull, brown-grey colour, matching perfectly with the leaden grey skies – all a bit depressing. It’s such a relief to note that summer is finally on the way…… there are even a few people braving the local beaches. I have to confess that I haven’t noticed anyone venturing into the water as yet, but you have to remember that this is the Atlantic Ocean, and even at the peak of summer the water is never that warm. It is of course the influence of the Ocean that keeps the temperatures in our sub-zone of the Salnes Valley that bit cooler in the summer, helping to maintain our fresh, zesty acidity. In some of  our more southerly sub-zones (especially those a little further inland, such as Condado do Tea), it is not uncommon for thermometers to sometimes reach as high as 40°C (over 100°F) – and unfortunately they don’t have any beaches!

After months of cold, wet and generally miserable weather we are finally enjoying a bit of sunshine! For almost a week now the sun has been out albeit that temperatures are not exactly breaking any records. Daytime temperatures are now hovering around the 20°C (68°F) mark, whilst at night the thermometer is still dropping to single figures – around 8° or 9°C (just below 50°F). It’s still a little chilly and with clear skies at night the danger of spring frost remains a very real threat. I should add that, from a personal point of view, this is probably my favourite time of year. The air is still quite fresh and temperatures are not too oppressive – this is possibly something to do with my northern English upbringing.

As you drive around our valley you really begin to notice the first signs of spring as the new green shoots and leaves begin to dominate in the vineyards. In winter the fields are a rather dull, brown-grey colour, matching perfectly with the leaden grey skies – all a bit depressing. It’s such a relief to note that summer is finally on the way…… there are even a few people braving the local beaches. I have to confess that I haven’t noticed anyone venturing into the water as yet, but you have to remember that this is the Atlantic Ocean, and even at the peak of summer the water is never that warm. It is of course the influence of the Ocean that keeps the temperatures in our sub-zone of the Salnes Valley that bit cooler in the summer, helping to maintain our fresh, zesty acidity. In some of  our more southerly sub-zones (especially those a little further inland, such as Condado do Tea), it is not uncommon for thermometers to sometimes reach as high as 40°C (over 100°F) – and unfortunately they don’t have any beaches!