Our web designer, James Radford (www.cookiedude.com) has asked me to announce to the world that our revised website is now up and running.

Under normal circumstances we would update our site much earlier, but this year we wanted to wait, to include the new designs of our Avian brand……. the advantage of this is that we have been able to add the very latest up-to-date press, including the 2006 guides.

You will note that we have not done too badly!

Our Vendimia Seleccionada Barrica 2003 has just been picked as the best Albariño in “El Mundo” (not the whole world – just the Spanish newspaper!)

In a recent tasting of 35 different Albariños from around our region, our Barrica emerged as the very top wine. Indeed, the panel actually went on to comment that they had tasted this very wine exactly 12 months ago, and they agreed that it had improved since their last tasting.

Many people believe that Albariño has to be drunk young, and does not improve with age – my view is a little different……

For me, an unoaked Albariño can still be quite “angular” immediately after the harvest (which is why we do not rush to bottle our wine). Depending on the vintage it can take up to 12 months to lose this edge, which is why I think our Albariño starts to peak in September – a year after the harvest.

Obviously, the small amount of Barrica that we make (just over 4,000 bottles) is quite different, and can continue to improve three or four years after the vintage.

It’s all about wine!

After days of deliberation, and the opinions of every conceivable language and lip reading expert (including M. Chirac himself), the truth behind the Zidane assault has finally come to light.

Apparently the Italian defender Materazzi told Zidane that, following a recent comparative tasting, he considered Italian wines to be superior to their French counterparts.

No wonder Zidane was so offended!

Albariño is “flying” in London

According to “Wine Trends” (what’s hot and what’s not) in last week’s Daily Telegraph, Albariño is fast becoming one of the UK’s most popular white wines – and don’t forget that many wine aficionados think that London is very much a trend setter when it comes to world wine consumption. To quote the article…..

“The current hot spell seems to have helped the fortunes of Albariño too. I’ve always enjoyed this Spanish white, but have never seen it on so many lists. It seems to be everywhere at the moment: is it going to be the new Sauvignon Blanc?”

“We have seen a definite move towards lighter alcohol and more aromatic whites this year…… Albariño is flying out.”

What can I say, except perhaps, long may it continue!

David wears the latest Zidane head protector!

Ask any decent vigneron, in any country around our great world of wine, and every single one will tell you that quality begins in the vineyard. They will also probably tell you that they don’t spray, or at the very least, they only spray when absolutely necessary. Well, I’m afraid to admit that the same applies here in Galicia, where the warmth and humidity of our ‘Atlantic Maritime’ climate obliges to intervene on occasions.

Young Albariño fruit in our El Pazo vineyard

I’m afraid that some ugly rumours have been circulating relating to the gap between recent posts and the start of the World Cup football. I have to reasssure you that this is, of course, purely co-incidental!

However, I confess that between matches I have been asked by some customers about the progress of the 2006 vintage, and when I answer that everything is going well, I am always afraid that I will be tempting fate. However, despite the early summer being a little cooler than 2005, we still appear to be on track for a very healthy and generous harvest.

At this moment our team are in the vineyards thinning the canopy to optimise the amount of sun that penetrates through to the fruit. This is actually a careful balancing act, as, believe it or not, grapes can actually suffer from sunburn if they are over-exposed. Perhaps a light spraying of Ambre Solaire factor 15 might be the answer?

Seriously though, despite my recent silence, there are actually a number of new and exciting happenings in the pipeline. As soon as they come to fruition you will be the first to know…..

Weather from the good old BBC

I often have to remind myself that we are, in fact, an agricultural business, and that like most other “farmers” we have to keep one eye fixed firmly on the weather. As we all know forecasts can be notoriously unreliable, especially in our corner of Spain (where we are often skirted by weather systems scurrying across the Atlantic on their way to soak the shores of the UK).

As previously mentioned, we have already experienced our fair quota of rain this Spring, and the month of May, until now, has been largely cool and changeable. Not the best weather for the growing vines, and indeed we have already been obliged (reluctantly) to spray against mildew.

Yesterday, on my daily visit to the BBC weather site I spotted something quite unusual – a fairly dramatic change anticipated over the coming days. Yesterday for example, the daytime temperature was a mere 17°C, today it has risen to about 25°C, tomorrow is forecast to be 33°C, Saturday 35°C and Sunday 37°C (albeit that this has since been revised down to a mere 35°C!). So, within the space of 5 days the temperature is expected to double!

To be honest a long dry spell will be more than welcome, especially in view of the flowering, anticipated during the coming weeks………

Time for a chilled Albariño and the factor 15!

Angela – As seen in Cocina y Vino – Venezuela

Far be it from me to make fun of my wife by posting a funny picture on the Internet, but here goes…….

Joking apart, Venezuela is one of our best export markets (which might have something to do with Angela being born there). Our partner there is one of the very best importers, and they do a great job promoting our Albariño.

Naturally, we get some excellent press for Casal Caeiro, the latest being a six page article in one of Venezuela’s top food and wine magazines – Cocina y Vino, about Angela, the bodega and our wine. My Spanish is by no means perfect, but Angela assures me that it is one of the best articles she has ever read about us. For me, I just like the picture!