We arrived to work on Saturday morning under a beautiful clear blue sky, and according to the forecast – this should now continue well into next week and the end of the harvest (probably Tuesday).

In terms of kilos picked we are already more or less at the half way point, and apart from my big transport error on the first day, it has been comparatively smooth sailing. Of course there are always minor issues, the latest being the new, dynamic case washing machine being delivered without one of it’s main filters! Very annoying and inconvenient, but at least not terminal to the operation.

Indeed, the story of our latest addition made me laugh. Whilst we were getting excited about this modest new piece of kit, our neighbours down the road (at one of the regions Co-operatives), were just inaugurating their brand new 300,000 Euro grape reception! In a different league altogether… whilst we remain small, humble, but very beautiful.

Meanwhile back in the real world, grapes flowed in very nicely, and with our well-drilled team they were swept through the cellar in a very efficient and timely manner. (A backlog is the last thing that we require on a Saturday which is, as always, by far the busiest day of the week).

The view in today’s photo shows smoke – not heat haze, sea mist or cloud, but smoke. A fire somewhere in a forest nearby filled the afternoon air, but fortunately it would seem that it was quickly extinguished.