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!

Once the arduous task of pruning has been completed, and the weight and strain is finally relieved from the wires that support the vines, we can begin the repairs. Every winter there are not only broken wires, but sometimes even the granite posts themselves succumb to the strain of carrying the huge weight of the canopy. Of course replacing a wire or a post is not quite as simple as it might sound, and indeed, when new vineyards are constructed the work is nearly always carried out by a specialist known as an ‘alambrador’ (a ‘wire man’).

The biggest difficulty is keeping the tension in the wire itself. Clearly it needs to be both strong and taught as it is stretched between the posts, and this is no easy task. We are quite lucky that our own guys have enough experience to carry out the majority of repairs themselves, which happily saves us just a few pennies. 

In today’s photo we are carrying out a repair in our ‘Pazo’ vineyard where you will not only notice the special tools that are needed, but also the substantial size of the old vines that these wires have to support.

Once the arduous task of pruning has been completed, and the weight and strain is finally relieved from the wires that support the vines, we can begin the repairs. Every winter there are not only broken wires, but sometimes even the granite posts themselves succumb to the strain of carrying the huge weight of the canopy. Of course replacing a wire or a post is not quite as simple as it might sound, and indeed, when new vineyards are constructed the work is nearly always carried out by a specialist known as an ‘alambrador’ (a ‘wire man’).

The biggest difficulty is keeping the tension in the wire itself. Clearly it needs to be both strong and taught as it is stretched between the posts, and this is no easy task. We are quite lucky that our own guys have enough experience to carry out the majority of repairs themselves, which happily saves us just a few pennies. 

In today’s photo we are carrying out a repair in our ‘Pazo’ vineyard where you will not only notice the special tools that are needed, but also the substantial size of the old vines that these wires have to support.

Unless you make and sell a really inexpensive wine I have never quite understood the mentality that would lead you to cut corners when selecting your closure. The saying goes that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and in the same way your bottle of wine is, in effect, only as good as the quality of closure that you use. Why would you go to all the time trouble of growing grapes and then converting them into a fabulous beverage, only to be ruined by a piece of cheap cork? It just makes no sense.

Perhaps I’m banging on about it a bit too much, but we really do take the selection of closures very seriously. As we bottled earlier this week we were again measuring the levels of oxygen both in the tank and in the bottles that we were preparing. Indeed, we have recently decided to make a very slight change to the Nomacorc closure that we use, but this minor adjustment is based purely on the results of two years of both testing (by machine) and tasting (with the tongue!). I have said it before and I will say it again, for Bodegas Castro Martin we are constantly looking for even small improvements to what we do – we will never just rest on our laurels.

In the meantime, our friends at Nomacorc also tell us that there is something new and exciting on the horizon, so please watch this space!

Unless you make and sell a really inexpensive wine I have never quite understood the mentality that would lead you to cut corners when selecting your closure. The saying goes that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and in the same way your bottle of wine is, in effect, only as good as the quality of closure that you use. Why would you go to all the time trouble of growing grapes and then converting them into a fabulous beverage, only to be ruined by a piece of cheap cork? It just makes no sense.

Perhaps I’m banging on about it a bit too much, but we really do take the selection of closures very seriously. As we bottled earlier this week we were again measuring the levels of oxygen both in the tank and in the bottles that we were preparing. Indeed, we have recently decided to make a very slight change to the Nomacorc closure that we use, but this minor adjustment is based purely on the results of two years of both testing (by machine) and tasting (with the tongue!). I have said it before and I will say it again, for Bodegas Castro Martin we are constantly looking for even small improvements to what we do – we will never just rest on our laurels.

In the meantime, our friends at Nomacorc also tell us that there is something new and exciting on the horizon, so please watch this space!

I think it was last summer that I wrote briefly about a new development in wine storage and ageing – keeping bottles underwater. At that time I mentioned a French producer that had gleaned a lot of publicity for storing his bottles on the seabed for a while, but I guess the real question is…… is this just a fashion, a publicity stunt, or does it add some real value to the finished wine?

Certainly there are many plus points for ageing wine on the seabed. The light is subdued, the temperature usually does not vary by too much (depending on where you are) and oxygen penetration is really not an issue. Finally you could add to the plus side that the storage itself is free, but then only if you don’t count the cost of submerging your stock and then retrieving it when required. Of course once the bottles are eventually brought to the surface, then they will certainly require a good scrubbing down before they can be labelled.

Other downsides include (besides the added cost of such an operation), that it is possible the salt water might actually penetrate and contaminate the wine. This would bring a whole new meaning to the expression often used for albariño “you can taste the sea”. Perhaps in these health and safety concious days, health inspectors might eventually start to pay closer attention should this idea begin to catch on.

Finally, perhaps a more obvious problem might be security. It is possible that a new profession as ‘wine pirate’ might emerge as thieves start to plunder this unguarded underwater booty!

I think it was last summer that I wrote briefly about a new development in wine storage and ageing – keeping bottles underwater. At that time I mentioned a French producer that had gleaned a lot of publicity for storing his bottles on the seabed for a while, but I guess the real question is…… is this just a fashion, a publicity stunt, or does it add some real value to the finished wine?

Certainly there are many plus points for ageing wine on the seabed. The light is subdued, the temperature usually does not vary by too much (depending on where you are) and oxygen penetration is really not an issue. Finally you could add to the plus side that the storage itself is free, but then only if you don’t count the cost of submerging your stock and then retrieving it when required. Of course once the bottles are eventually brought to the surface, then they will certainly require a good scrubbing down before they can be labelled.

Other downsides include (besides the added cost of such an operation), that it is possible the salt water might actually penetrate and contaminate the wine. This would bring a whole new meaning to the expression often used for albariño “you can taste the sea”. Perhaps in these health and safety concious days, health inspectors might eventually start to pay closer attention should this idea begin to catch on.

Finally, perhaps a more obvious problem might be security. It is possible that a new profession as ‘wine pirate’ might emerge as thieves start to plunder this unguarded underwater booty!

When the 9/11 memorial was originally opened in New York on the tenth anniversary of the atrocity, I was fortunate enough to acquire an entry ticket on only the second day of opening to the public. At that time it was heavily subscribed and I was very fortunate to get in…. it was a moving experience.

The main features of the memorial are of course, the two huge pools surrounded by waterfalls built on the actual footprints of the twin towers. They are the largest man-made waterfalls in North America. The pools are surrounded by bronze panels that include the names of everyone that died not only in the attack of 2001, but also in the attack of 1993. 

In the memorial garden itself there are more than 400 white oak trees planted to convey ‘a spirit of hope and renewal’. The white oaks were picked specifically because of the durability (in a city environment) and their dramatic leaf colours – green in spring and summer, changing to shades of pink, gold and brown during the autumn.

Now comes the confession part of the story…..

During my visit in September 2011 I filled my pocket with a few acorns which had dropped from the young oak trees, and upon arriving back in Spain, planted then in my garden. Last summer I had six or seven small trees growing on my terrace, and only a week or two ago I transplanted them to a new location at the back of the bodega – immediately adjacent to Domingo Martin’s favourite pine tree. The hope is that in a few years we will have one or two sturdy white oak trees of our own, grown virtually from the ashes of the 9/11 memorial itself….

When the 9/11 memorial was originally opened in New York on the tenth anniversary of the atrocity, I was fortunate enough to acquire an entry ticket on only the second day of opening to the public. At that time it was heavily subscribed and I was very fortunate to get in…. it was a moving experience.

The main features of the memorial are of course, the two huge pools surrounded by waterfalls built on the actual footprints of the twin towers. They are the largest man-made waterfalls in North America. The pools are surrounded by bronze panels that include the names of everyone that died not only in the attack of 2001, but also in the attack of 1993. 

In the memorial garden itself there are more than 400 white oak trees planted to convey ‘a spirit of hope and renewal’. The white oaks were picked specifically because of the durability (in a city environment) and their dramatic leaf colours – green in spring and summer, changing to shades of pink, gold and brown during the autumn.

Now comes the confession part of the story…..

During my visit in September 2011 I filled my pocket with a few acorns which had dropped from the young oak trees, and upon arriving back in Spain, planted then in my garden. Last summer I had six or seven small trees growing on my terrace, and only a week or two ago I transplanted them to a new location at the back of the bodega – immediately adjacent to Domingo Martin’s favourite pine tree. The hope is that in a few years we will have one or two sturdy white oak trees of our own, grown virtually from the ashes of the 9/11 memorial itself….

It’s been a mega-busy week so far, but thankfully for all the right reasons – bottling wine, visiting foreign journalists, a flying business trip to Madrid and finally a wine seminar – all in the space of 4 days…. and there was me thinking that Galicia is a sleepy backwater of Spain! Of course that is the reason that there have not been any new posts on our blog for the last few days, it’s simply been an issue of time.

At the start of the week, especially as there was so much happening, I carefully studied the weather forecast (as is my obsession), and was quite please to discover that there was a positive change looming on the horizon. Monday to Friday would be the same as usual so far this winter – cool and wet, but with sun and significantly warmer temperatures promised for the weekend. Could this be the real start of spring?

Well, certainly as I write this post (on Saturday morning) the sun is not yet with us – it’s still wet and windy, albeit that the weather forecast is still saying that this is about to change. The experts are now saying that next week will be warm and very sunny – temperatures finally hitting the magic 20°C (68-70°F). After some very heavy rain storms in recent days (we were in Madrid on the day of the very worst), we are praying that a bit of warm sunshine will dry out the soggy vineyards and really start to push forward the growth of our vines. Indeed, I would expect that with all the moisture that we now have in the soil, combined with some sun and warmer temperatures, we might soon see some dramatic advances in the vegetation.

By the way, my photo today quite clearly has nothing to do with the weather, but was taken during a well-earned break for lunch at the Santiago Bernabéu, the home of Real Madrid C.F., and my first ever visit to the Stadium. However, as you can see, they still need sun lamps to promote growth on certain shaded parts of the pitch – perhaps that’s what we should have used in our vineyards over recent months!

It’s been a mega-busy week so far, but thankfully for all the right reasons – bottling wine, visiting foreign journalists, a flying business trip to Madrid and finally a wine seminar – all in the space of 4 days…. and there was me thinking that Galicia is a sleepy backwater of Spain! Of course that is the reason that there have not been any new posts on our blog for the last few days, it’s simply been an issue of time.

At the start of the week, especially as there was so much happening, I carefully studied the weather forecast (as is my obsession), and was quite please to discover that there was a positive change looming on the horizon. Monday to Friday would be the same as usual so far this winter – cool and wet, but with sun and significantly warmer temperatures promised for the weekend. Could this be the real start of spring?

Well, certainly as I write this post (on Saturday morning) the sun is not yet with us – it’s still wet and windy, albeit that the weather forecast is still saying that this is about to change. The experts are now saying that next week will be warm and very sunny – temperatures finally hitting the magic 20°C (68-70°F). After some very heavy rain storms in recent days (we were in Madrid on the day of the very worst), we are praying that a bit of warm sunshine will dry out the soggy vineyards and really start to push forward the growth of our vines. Indeed, I would expect that with all the moisture that we now have in the soil, combined with some sun and warmer temperatures, we might soon see some dramatic advances in the vegetation.

By the way, my photo today quite clearly has nothing to do with the weather, but was taken during a well-earned break for lunch at the Santiago Bernabéu, the home of Real Madrid C.F., and my first ever visit to the Stadium. However, as you can see, they still need sun lamps to promote growth on certain shaded parts of the pitch – perhaps that’s what we should have used in our vineyards over recent months!

2013 turns out to be a year of anniversaries – it is the 25th anniversary of our own denomination, Rias Baixas, created in 1988, but more importantly Bodegas Castro Martin is celebrating its own special date. The bodega that we use today was built in 1981, so nothing significant there, however our first vintage was produced in 1982, which is actually much more relevant…. Although the grapes of our most recent vintage were picked in 2012, and will carry that vintage on the label, the wine itself (after its period of lees ageing) is not actually released until now – the spring of 2013.

Of course this means that we now in the process of preparing the wine of our 30th vintage, or to be more accurate the 30th vintage of Casal Caeiro (other labels were not created until much later). By way of a reminder to our customers we have modified the current label, which for the next 12 months will carry a new motif to highlight this special anniversary.

You may have noticed that our bodega is actually several years older than the denomination itself, and if you have read our website you will know that this is purely due to the foresight of our founder, Domingo Martin. Angela’s father was one of the very first to invest financially in the local wine industry, thereby proving his belief and commitment to the future of the albariño grape variety. We are very proud to be counted as one of the founding bodegas of the D.O. Rias Baixas and hope that you will join in our celebration by cracking open one of our 30th anniversary bottles.

2013 turns out to be a year of anniversaries – it is the 25th anniversary of our own denomination, Rias Baixas, created in 1988, but more importantly Bodegas Castro Martin is celebrating its own special date. The bodega that we use today was built in 1981, so nothing significant there, however our first vintage was produced in 1982, which is actually much more relevant…. Although the grapes of our most recent vintage were picked in 2012, and will carry that vintage on the label, the wine itself (after its period of lees ageing) is not actually released until now – the spring of 2013.

Of course this means that we now in the process of preparing the wine of our 30th vintage, or to be more accurate the 30th vintage of Casal Caeiro (other labels were not created until much later). By way of a reminder to our customers we have modified the current label, which for the next 12 months will carry a new motif to highlight this special anniversary.

You may have noticed that our bodega is actually several years older than the denomination itself, and if you have read our website you will know that this is purely due to the foresight of our founder, Domingo Martin. Angela’s father was one of the very first to invest financially in the local wine industry, thereby proving his belief and commitment to the future of the albariño grape variety. We are very proud to be counted as one of the founding bodegas of the D.O. Rias Baixas and hope that you will join in our celebration by cracking open one of our 30th anniversary bottles.

The other day we were approached by Systembolaget (the Swedish Monopoly) as they launched a tender for the purchase of albariño. The tender document is always quite comprehensive and gives details not only of how much they are willing to spend, but sometimes also, the style of wine that they are looking for. (From my own point of view the product style would simply read “typical”, in other words a true representation of what it is supposed to be).

The other part of the tender document includes all the technical stuff, such as the case size etc., and I have noticed that on the last couple of tenders they have started to specify that the closure should be screw cap. Now, to the best of my knowledge there are only a handful of bodegas (out of nearly 200 in our denomination) that are currently able to supply albariño under screwcap, and Bodegas Castro Martin is not one of them. No doubt this will restrict the number of bodegas that are able respond to the tender, and as such appears to be an odd way to filter their choice of suppliers. After all, a producers choice of closure has nothing to do with the quality of wine that they are able to produce!

For our business the single most important reason for not choosing screw cap  is quite simply that we already have a closure that we know works very well with our wine. We have been using Nomacorc, the synthetic closure for almost 10 years now, and to date I cannot recall any serious problem or complaint (touching wood as I say this). Our decision to use Nomacorc was not made by accident, but only after very extensive testing over an initial period of twelve months. However, we did not stop there, and have since taken our testing to the next level, measuring results over a two year period. This is not done simply by tasting sample wines, but also by examining the Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) of the bottles. The fact is that Nomacorc behaves very much like a natural cork in that it allows minuscule amounts of oxygen to penetrate the cork over a period of time. The significance is that if a closure is 100% hermetic (as in the case of screw cap), and allows no transfer at all, then this can be detrimental to a finished wine.

The problem with screw cap is usually caused by sulphur. Nearly every wine that we buy these days is treated with suphur dioxide before bottling (which acts as a preservative), and hence the back label proclaiming ‘Contains Sulphites’. In low oxygen conditions, where oxygen cannot enter, the sulphur is trapped and can develop volatile compounds called mercaptans, which impart unwanted flavours and aromas. As screw cap closures eliminate almost all oxygen, then in a way they can be considered as too efficient.

Certainly the modified evolution of wines under screw cap has now caused some new world producers to reconsider their position, and one or two major players in South Africa and Australia are now reverting back to cork. 

Meanwhile, back at the Systembolaget in Sweden, through my contacts I actually managed to relay a message to the buyer asking if screw cap was absolutely necessary – the reply came back that in his opinion all young, aromatic wines should be bottled with this closure. The problem is that I don’t necessarily agree with this view, and not only that, why would I want to move away from something that I already know works perfectly well for our wine?

The other day we were approached by Systembolaget (the Swedish Monopoly) as they launched a tender for the purchase of albariño. The tender document is always quite comprehensive and gives details not only of how much they are willing to spend, but sometimes also, the style of wine that they are looking for. (From my own point of view the product style would simply read “typical”, in other words a true representation of what it is supposed to be).

The other part of the tender document includes all the technical stuff, such as the case size etc., and I have noticed that on the last couple of tenders they have started to specify that the closure should be screw cap. Now, to the best of my knowledge there are only a handful of bodegas (out of nearly 200 in our denomination) that are currently able to supply albariño under screwcap, and Bodegas Castro Martin is not one of them. No doubt this will restrict the number of bodegas that are able respond to the tender, and as such appears to be an odd way to filter their choice of suppliers. After all, a producers choice of closure has nothing to do with the quality of wine that they are able to produce!

For our business the single most important reason for not choosing screw cap  is quite simply that we already have a closure that we know works very well with our wine. We have been using Nomacorc, the synthetic closure for almost 10 years now, and to date I cannot recall any serious problem or complaint (touching wood as I say this). Our decision to use Nomacorc was not made by accident, but only after very extensive testing over an initial period of twelve months. However, we did not stop there, and have since taken our testing to the next level, measuring results over a two year period. This is not done simply by tasting sample wines, but also by examining the Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) of the bottles. The fact is that Nomacorc behaves very much like a natural cork in that it allows minuscule amounts of oxygen to penetrate the cork over a period of time. The significance is that if a closure is 100% hermetic (as in the case of screw cap), and allows no transfer at all, then this can be detrimental to a finished wine.

The problem with screw cap is usually caused by sulphur. Nearly every wine that we buy these days is treated with suphur dioxide before bottling (which acts as a preservative), and hence the back label proclaiming ‘Contains Sulphites’. In low oxygen conditions, where oxygen cannot enter, the sulphur is trapped and can develop volatile compounds called mercaptans, which impart unwanted flavours and aromas. As screw cap closures eliminate almost all oxygen, then in a way they can be considered as too efficient.

Certainly the modified evolution of wines under screw cap has now caused some new world producers to reconsider their position, and one or two major players in South Africa and Australia are now reverting back to cork. 

Meanwhile, back at the Systembolaget in Sweden, through my contacts I actually managed to relay a message to the buyer asking if screw cap was absolutely necessary – the reply came back that in his opinion all young, aromatic wines should be bottled with this closure. The problem is that I don’t necessarily agree with this view, and not only that, why would I want to move away from something that I already know works perfectly well for our wine?

Yesterday I decided that I would make a new post about progress in our vineyards, or should I say, the lack of it. My intention was to nip out into the vineyard that surrounds the bodega and snap a few photos of the vines slowly springing to life. Only one problem – it did not stop raining all day, not even for one second, and so my photography mission had to be postponed until today.

From this morning’s photo you will see that there is actually very little growth so far – the buds have only just started to break, as the cycle towards the 2013 harvest begins. In some vintages we might already see a few small leaves by this date, and so I think it would be fair to say that we could be perhaps a week or two behind schedule. Of course this protracted winter weather is not such a bad thing (except in our home where the central heating was out of commission for a while!), indeed it gives the plants longer to recover from their summer exertions, not to mention that it also kills off a few of the unwanted vineyard bugs.

There has certainly been no shortage of water this winter as the rain continues to fall, and we have seen precious little sunshine at all. The temperatures during March have continued to hover in the range between 10°-15°C (50°-60°F), and it is looking like our Easter holidays will be decidedly chilly. 

Yesterday I decided that I would make a new post about progress in our vineyards, or should I say, the lack of it. My intention was to nip out into the vineyard that surrounds the bodega and snap a few photos of the vines slowly springing to life. Only one problem – it did not stop raining all day, not even for one second, and so my photography mission had to be postponed until today.

From this morning’s photo you will see that there is actually very little growth so far – the buds have only just started to break, as the cycle towards the 2013 harvest begins. In some vintages we might already see a few small leaves by this date, and so I think it would be fair to say that we could be perhaps a week or two behind schedule. Of course this protracted winter weather is not such a bad thing (except in our home where the central heating was out of commission for a while!), indeed it gives the plants longer to recover from their summer exertions, not to mention that it also kills off a few of the unwanted vineyard bugs.

There has certainly been no shortage of water this winter as the rain continues to fall, and we have seen precious little sunshine at all. The temperatures during March have continued to hover in the range between 10°-15°C (50°-60°F), and it is looking like our Easter holidays will be decidedly chilly.

Yesterday I decided that I would make a new post about progress in our vineyards, or should I say, the lack of it. My intention was to nip out into the vineyard that surrounds the bodega and snap a few photos of the vines slowly springing to life. Only one problem – it did not stop raining all day, not even for one second, and so my photography mission had to be postponed until today.

From this morning’s photo you will see that there is actually very little growth so far – the buds have only just started to break, as the cycle towards the 2013 harvest begins. In some vintages we might already see a few small leaves by this date, and so I think it would be fair to say that we could be perhaps a week or two behind schedule. Of course this protracted winter weather is not such a bad thing (except in our home where the central heating was out of commission for a while!), indeed it gives the plants longer to recover from their summer exertions, not to mention that it also kills off a few of the unwanted vineyard bugs.

There has certainly been no shortage of water this winter as the rain continues to fall, and we have seen precious little sunshine at all. The temperatures during March have continued to hover in the range between 10°-15°C (50°-60°F), and it is looking like our Easter holidays will be decidedly chilly. 

Yesterday I decided that I would make a new post about progress in our vineyards, or should I say, the lack of it. My intention was to nip out into the vineyard that surrounds the bodega and snap a few photos of the vines slowly springing to life. Only one problem – it did not stop raining all day, not even for one second, and so my photography mission had to be postponed until today.

From this morning’s photo you will see that there is actually very little growth so far – the buds have only just started to break, as the cycle towards the 2013 harvest begins. In some vintages we might already see a few small leaves by this date, and so I think it would be fair to say that we could be perhaps a week or two behind schedule. Of course this protracted winter weather is not such a bad thing (except in our home where the central heating was out of commission for a while!), indeed it gives the plants longer to recover from their summer exertions, not to mention that it also kills off a few of the unwanted vineyard bugs.

There has certainly been no shortage of water this winter as the rain continues to fall, and we have seen precious little sunshine at all. The temperatures during March have continued to hover in the range between 10°-15°C (50°-60°F), and it is looking like our Easter holidays will be decidedly chilly.