The weather in Galicia still remains stubbornly hot and dry. A few weeks ago we were praying for a day or two of rain (to add just a little more flesh and juice to the grapes), but now, as we move much closer to the harvest this view has changed, and we would simply prefer that the dry weather continues. Rain too close to the harvest will only cause the thick skins of this year’s fruit to split, that would inevitably lead to rot.

In recent days the thermometer has still been touching as high as 32°C (90°F) albeit that it has since cooled just a little to a slightly more manageable 25°C (77°F). At this stage of the growing cycle these high temperatures only serve to accelerate the final maturity of the fruit, as the acidity in the berries starts to drop at a very rapid rate. Obviously, in the case of our own albariño, we really need to retain the correct level of natural acidity, and so it is really the moment to watch the analysis of grape samples very closely, and start our picking at the very second we reach the optimum balance.