Friday 11th September – Well, the good news today is that the sun was shining from the moment that it appeared over the horizon, but the question, as always was, how long would it last? The only thing we can do in these circumstances is to “make hay while the sun shines” and pick as much fruit as we can.

The first part of the day was not quite as ‘fluid’ (if you’ll pardon the pun) as the previous day had been, and somehow seemed a bit more disjointed – just not quite as smooth. However, by lunch we had already made a couple of pressings, and the pace and fluidity started to pick up from there. By early evening we had grapes arriving by the lorry load, and the presses were struggling to keep up with the flow, or perhaps I should say cascade. Our bodega team was working as hard as they could, but there was a brief moment, mid-evening, when we had to make suppliers wait to unload their vehicles – the reception was pretty much full to capacity.

By 10 or 11pm order had been restored, and all that remained was to clear the backlog of pressings – there was no doubt that this was going to a a long night…. and for good reason. If yesterday had been a record day for volume, then I was amazed to calculate that yesterday’s record had been smashed by as much as 20%! Fran and his team who work on the presses, will certainly deserve a good night’s sleep when they finish (or should that be day’s sleep?)Friday 11th September – Well, the good news today is that the sun was shining from the moment that it appeared over the horizon, but the question, as always was, how long would it last? The only thing we can do in these circumstances is to “make hay while the sun shines” and pick as much fruit as we can.

The first part of the day was not quite as ‘fluid’ (if you’ll pardon the pun) as the previous day had been, and somehow seemed a bit more disjointed – just not quite as smooth. However, by lunch we had already made a couple of pressings, and the pace and fluidity started to pick up from there. By early evening we had grapes arriving by the lorry load, and the presses were struggling to keep up with the flow, or perhaps I should say cascade. Our bodega team was working as hard as they could, but there was a brief moment, mid-evening, when we had to make suppliers wait to unload their vehicles – the reception was pretty much full to capacity.

By 10 or 11pm order had been restored, and all that remained was to clear the backlog of pressings – there was no doubt that this was going to a a long night…. and for good reason. If yesterday had been a record day for volume, then I was amazed to calculate that yesterday’s record had been smashed by as much as 20%! Fran and his team who work on the presses, will certainly deserve a good night’s sleep when they finish (or should that be day’s sleep?)

Thursday 10th September – When we opened our shutters this morning, the weather was pretty much as predicted – cloudy, cooler, but most importantly, dry. As I made my commute to the bodega, the temperature was registering about 15°C (59°F), and there was a mist hanging over much of the Salnés Valley. Of course I knew that this was only temporary, and that once the sun broke through, conditions would be good for harvesting.

By lunchtime the first two presses of the day had been loaded, as the grapes appeared to arrive faster than ever (all credit to our highly organised teams). Inevitably we couldn’t wait to taste the grape must as the first drops fell from the first pressing. Our suspicions surrounding the 2015 vintage seemed to be correct – quite a concentrated, viscose juice, with a lovely floral fruit and our usual piercing acidity to provide us with the required balance for a fabulous albariño.

Taking advantage of the good weather we decided to press as much fruit as we could handle, and consequently there was absolutely no break in the flow of fruit entering the cellar. Fortunately, by starting the presses early, our systems seemed to work quite well, and there were virtually no delays at any point of the day. The result was a record day of pressing – the biggest day in recent history (certainly since I started keeping my own records in 2002). Our plan is for another big day tomorrow to gather as much fruit as we can before any change in the weather.

By the way, our picture shows the very first grape must of 2015 (and yes, it is really that colour when it is first pressed!)Thursday 10th September – When we opened our shutters this morning, the weather was pretty much as predicted – cloudy, cooler, but most importantly, dry. As I made my commute to the bodega, the temperature was registering about 15°C (59°F), and there was a mist hanging over much of the Salnés Valley. Of course I knew that this was only temporary, and that once the sun broke through, conditions would be good for harvesting.

By lunchtime the first two presses of the day had been loaded, as the grapes appeared to arrive faster than ever (all credit to our highly organised teams). Inevitably we couldn’t wait to taste the grape must as the first drops fell from the first pressing. Our suspicions surrounding the 2015 vintage seemed to be correct – quite a concentrated, viscose juice, with a lovely floral fruit and our usual piercing acidity to provide us with the required balance for a fabulous albariño.

Taking advantage of the good weather we decided to press as much fruit as we could handle, and consequently there was absolutely no break in the flow of fruit entering the cellar. Fortunately, by starting the presses early, our systems seemed to work quite well, and there were virtually no delays at any point of the day. The result was a record day of pressing – the biggest day in recent history (certainly since I started keeping my own records in 2002). Our plan is for another big day tomorrow to gather as much fruit as we can before any change in the weather.

By the way, our picture shows the very first grape must of 2015 (and yes, it is really that colour when it is first pressed!)

As we move into the last days/hours before the 2015 harvest our attention, inevitably, turns to the weather. The last few days have been fine and clear, with reasonably good temperatures (25/26°C or 77/79°F), but there is a change on the horizon. There is no doubt that the temperature is going to drop a little, to nearer 20°C (68°F), but our biggest concern at the moment is more to do with possible precipitation…. rain showers.

Ideally we would like to start tomorrow, and then continue without pause, but certainly there is a chance of showers on both on Saturday and again in the middle of next week. Inevitably it is the maturity of the fruit that dictates when and where we pick, but unfortunately the weather does not always co-operate in this respect. Our experience tells us that we cannot reasonably expect to have wall-to-wall sunshine at this time of year, and so it then simply becomes a question of judgement, and not a little luck. In the meantime I remain glued to the weather websites!As we move into the last days/hours before the 2015 harvest our attention, inevitably, turns to the weather. The last few days have been fine and clear, with reasonably good temperatures (25/26°C or 77/79°F), but there is a change on the horizon. There is no doubt that the temperature is going to drop a little, to nearer 20°C (68°F), but our biggest concern at the moment is more to do with possible precipitation…. rain showers.

Ideally we would like to start tomorrow, and then continue without pause, but certainly there is a chance of showers on both on Saturday and again in the middle of next week. Inevitably it is the maturity of the fruit that dictates when and where we pick, but unfortunately the weather does not always co-operate in this respect. Our experience tells us that we cannot reasonably expect to have wall-to-wall sunshine at this time of year, and so it then simply becomes a question of judgement, and not a little luck. In the meantime I remain glued to the weather websites!

We have all received these hilarious mails (many originating from Nigeria or other parts of the African continent), telling us that if we pay a few thousand Dollars/Euros into the bank account of a complete stranger, then we will be showered with wealth beyond our wildest dreams. Well, sometimes these scams are aimed specifically at certain types of business.

For example, wineries sometimes receive enquiries from scammers posing as wine importers, or perhaps supermarkets, in an attempt to ship vast amounts of stock on credit. Some scammers even go as far as setting up fake websites, mirroring existing companies, but including some very subtle differences. Quite sophisticated…..

I think it’s fair to say that today’s picture shows one of the less sophisticated attempts – a three or four line mail, with the opening salutation “We are ASDA” (one of the UK’s largest supermarkets, owned by Walmart). No banners, no headers or footers, no logos, and using an e-mail address that clearly has nothing to do with the legitimate company.

I am insulted to think that the perpetrator thinks, even for one second, that we might fall for this – do they really believe that we are terminally stupid? (That’s a rhetorical question!)We have all received these hilarious mails (many originating from Nigeria or other parts of the African continent), telling us that if we pay a few thousand Dollars/Euros into the bank account of a complete stranger, then we will be showered with wealth beyond our wildest dreams. Well, sometimes these scams are aimed specifically at certain types of business.

For example, wineries sometimes receive enquiries from scammers posing as wine importers, or perhaps supermarkets, in an attempt to ship vast amounts of stock on credit. Some scammers even go as far as setting up fake websites, mirroring existing companies, but including some very subtle differences. Quite sophisticated…..

I think it’s fair to say that today’s picture shows one of the less sophisticated attempts – a three or four line mail, with the opening salutation “We are ASDA” (one of the UK’s largest supermarkets, owned by Walmart). No banners, no headers or footers, no logos, and using an e-mail address that clearly has nothing to do with the legitimate company.

I am insulted to think that the perpetrator thinks, even for one second, that we might fall for this – do they really believe that we are terminally stupid? (That’s a rhetorical question!)

There has always been a certain stigma attached to synthetic closures, not necessarily because of the way they perform, but usually more to do with the way they look. Don’t worry, at this point I’m not going to launch into one of my long lectures about the pro’s and con’s of our corcs (with a ‘c’), but merely wanted to point out that their evolution continues.

As you will probably know, the Nomacorc product that we already use is the World’s first zero carbon footprint wine closure, made entirely from renewable, plant-based polymers. They are also manufactured using 100% renewable energy and the process uses only minimal amounts of water, making them ideal for sustainable wine producers.

To address the problem of their appearance Nomacorc have now released a new design, that we have just used for the first time this week. Today’s picture shows the old design on the right, and our modified, new design on the left. My guess is that without giving our new corc a very close inspection the vast majority of consumers will not even notice that it’s synthetic!There has always been a certain stigma attached to synthetic closures, not necessarily because of the way they perform, but usually more to do with the way they look. Don’t worry, at this point I’m not going to launch into one of my long lectures about the pro’s and con’s of our corcs (with a ‘c’), but merely wanted to point out that their evolution continues.

As you will probably know, the Nomacorc product that we already use is the World’s first zero carbon footprint wine closure, made entirely from renewable, plant-based polymers. They are also manufactured using 100% renewable energy and the process uses only minimal amounts of water, making them ideal for sustainable wine producers.

To address the problem of their appearance Nomacorc have now released a new design, that we have just used for the first time this week. Today’s picture shows the old design on the right, and our modified, new design on the left. My guess is that without giving our new corc a very close inspection the vast majority of consumers will not even notice that it’s synthetic!

Percebes, or goose barnacles are a highly sought-after local delicacy, perhaps at the very pinnacle of Galicia’s wide selection of crustaceans, molluscs and other seafoods. The name ‘goose barnacle’ (or sometimes gooseneck barnacle) is surrounded by many a curious tale. Quite obviously they are named after the barnacle goose, as their shape and colour was thought to resemble the head of this Arctic/North Atlantic bird. As these birds were not native to the UK, and no one had ever seen their nest, it was originally believed that the goose was actually spawned from the barnacles and actually grew on the hull of the old wooden ships! The church was delighted to decree that because this particular species of goose was not born out of flesh, but of the sea, that they could not only be eaten on Fridays, but also throughout the period of Lent. A convenient truth?

If you have no idea as to how difficult (and dangerous) it is to find percebes, then this link is a very good illustration, as celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay risks life and limb, absailing down a sheer cliff face in Galicia in an attempt to harvest a mere handful of these tasty treats. It is in the shadow of these cliffs and rocky outcrops where the roaring surf crashes in, that the largest and fattest percebes (the ones that bring in the most money), will develop. The fishermen can make up to €300 per kilo at auction, and, with luck, they can earn €1,000 in a day. But the stakes they play for are high; this is a dangerous way to make a living – on average five people per year will lose their lives gathering these rare, but delicious delicacies. Unlike their near neighbours, the mussels, these crustaceans have resisted all attempts to be bred in a controlled environment. Scientists suspect that they need the tides and crashing waves to survive, which of course, serves only to make them even more expensive.

Tasting goose barnacles for the first time is quite an experience, as the super intense flavour of the sea bursts on your tongue. Then, of course, you next mouthful has to be from a chilled glass of albariño. Perfect.Percebes, or goose barnacles are a highly sought-after local delicacy, perhaps at the very pinnacle of Galicia’s wide selection of crustaceans, molluscs and other seafoods. The name ‘goose barnacle’ (or sometimes gooseneck barnacle) is surrounded by many a curious tale. Quite obviously they are named after the barnacle goose, as their shape and colour was thought to resemble the head of this Arctic/North Atlantic bird. As these birds were not native to the UK, and no one had ever seen their nest, it was originally believed that the goose was actually spawned from the barnacles and actually grew on the hull of the old wooden ships! The church was delighted to decree that because this particular species of goose was not born out of flesh, but of the sea, that they could not only be eaten on Fridays, but also throughout the period of Lent. A convenient truth?

If you have no idea as to how difficult (and dangerous) it is to find percebes, then this link is a very good illustration, as celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay risks life and limb, absailing down a sheer cliff face in Galicia in an attempt to harvest a mere handful of these tasty treats. It is in the shadow of these cliffs and rocky outcrops where the roaring surf crashes in, that the largest and fattest percebes (the ones that bring in the most money), will develop. The fishermen can make up to €300 per kilo at auction, and, with luck, they can earn €1,000 in a day. But the stakes they play for are high; this is a dangerous way to make a living – on average five people per year will lose their lives gathering these rare, but delicious delicacies. Unlike their near neighbours, the mussels, these crustaceans have resisted all attempts to be bred in a controlled environment. Scientists suspect that they need the tides and crashing waves to survive, which of course, serves only to make them even more expensive.

Tasting goose barnacles for the first time is quite an experience, as the super intense flavour of the sea bursts on your tongue. Then, of course, you next mouthful has to be from a chilled glass of albariño. Perfect.

No sooner had I mentioned that our Galician summer had been very dry, than the rain started. The good news so far, is that the amounts have not been catastrophic, and have only served to give our vineyards the watering that they so desperately needed.

I’m sure I have mentioned before that Spanish holidaymakers tend to take their holidays in “quincenas” – fortnights in English. This in itself does  not appear to be so unusual, except that they tend to stick to a very rigid timetables – either taking the first two weeks of August, or the second two weeks, and rarely exploring outside this format. Clearly holidaymakers taking the first two weeks of August 2015 have fared much better than those taking the second. In fact, from a sunbathing point of view, the second quincena has been more or less a total wash-out, not that it’s been raining all the time, but more that the sun has not appeared too much. The temperature has also dropped during the last couple of weeks – the average daytime temperature has been hovering between 20° and 25°C (68° – 77°F).

To finish on a more positive note, our fruit is still healthy, and the forecast is good for the beginning of September. We believe that if the forecast warm, dry weather continues, then we have quite high hopes for the vintage.No sooner had I mentioned that our Galician summer had been very dry, than the rain started. The good news so far, is that the amounts have not been catastrophic, and have only served to give our vineyards the watering that they so desperately needed.

I’m sure I have mentioned before that Spanish holidaymakers tend to take their holidays in “quincenas” – fortnights in English. This in itself does  not appear to be so unusual, except that they tend to stick to a very rigid timetables – either taking the first two weeks of August, or the second two weeks, and rarely exploring outside this format. Clearly holidaymakers taking the first two weeks of August 2015 have fared much better than those taking the second. In fact, from a sunbathing point of view, the second quincena has been more or less a total wash-out, not that it’s been raining all the time, but more that the sun has not appeared too much. The temperature has also dropped during the last couple of weeks – the average daytime temperature has been hovering between 20° and 25°C (68° – 77°F).

To finish on a more positive note, our fruit is still healthy, and the forecast is good for the beginning of September. We believe that if the forecast warm, dry weather continues, then we have quite high hopes for the vintage.

The months of July and August are probably ‘peak’ fiesta season here in Galicia (and around Spain) – there are fireworks and rockets exploding nearly every night around around our home. (This is perhaps the moment to mention that I am always just a bit shocked when I see the men setting off these huge, exploding rockets…. launching them from their hands! Not something that is recommended to try at home).

I have written on many previous occasions about food fiestas, not because I don’t think they’re a great idea, but mostly because of the way that they are publicised. Of course, these local fiestas need to be supported and encouraged, as I have no doubt whatsoever that a huge amount of work goes into organising them. I do feel however, that all the effort is not necessarily augmented by the advertising, and the latest example of this is for a celebration starting tomorrow in the municipio de Valga – the Eel and Aguardiente festival. Unfortunately, once again, the photo that they have chosen to publicise the event is possibly not the most attractive or mouth watering…..

Now I’m sure that the eels are actually quite delicious, but what is it they say? It’s all in the presentation, and that we also ‘eat with our eyes’, but to be brutally honest if I was undecided as to where to spend my day out, I wouldn’t necessarily be attracted by this publicity shot. I think that they look like large grey worms, or is that just me?The months of July and August are probably ‘peak’ fiesta season here in Galicia (and around Spain) – there are fireworks and rockets exploding nearly every night around around our home. (This is perhaps the moment to mention that I am always just a bit shocked when I see the men setting off these huge, exploding rockets…. launching them from their hands! Not something that is recommended to try at home).

I have written on many previous occasions about food fiestas, not because I don’t think they’re a great idea, but mostly because of the way that they are publicised. Of course, these local fiestas need to be supported and encouraged, as I have no doubt whatsoever that a huge amount of work goes into organising them. I do feel however, that all the effort is not necessarily augmented by the advertising, and the latest example of this is for a celebration starting tomorrow in the municipio de Valga – the Eel and Aguardiente festival. Unfortunately, once again, the photo that they have chosen to publicise the event is possibly not the most attractive or mouth watering…..

Now I’m sure that the eels are actually quite delicious, but what is it they say? It’s all in the presentation, and that we also ‘eat with our eyes’, but to be brutally honest if I was undecided as to where to spend my day out, I wouldn’t necessarily be attracted by this publicity shot. I think that they look like large grey worms, or is that just me?

Everything you need to know….Everything you need to know….

Last week the bodega was closed for a short break before our busiest time of year. At this stage there is little that can be done in the vineyards, and so we take advantage to give our team a chance to re-charge their batteries before the main event – our harvest! Or at least that is the theory….. the reality is that most of our team were working.

It’s a bit of a convoluted story, and revolves around one very important piece of bodega equipment. Our ‘cold machine’. I suppose I should really call it our refrigeration unit, but in our daily conversations it is simply known as the cold machine. This super important piece of kit actually does two jobs: This is the machine that we use to chill the wine to below freezing for cold stabilisation (to prevent the formation of tartrate crystals in the finished wine), and most importantly (at this time of year), it forms the very heart of our temperature control system, without which the fermentation would simply career out of control. So, how does this relate to our holidays I hear you ask? Let me quickly explain.

In the period leading up to the harvest we have all our equipment serviced, including of course, the cold machine, and whilst we have refrigeration engineers here in Galicia, none of them really specialise in wine equipment. Probably the best company in Spain is based in Barcelona, and they are so highly sought after in the wine business that you don’t tell them when they should come, they tell you when they’re available. On this occasion the only time that they could come to Galicia was during our scheduled closure, and this left us with no choice – consequently many of our team have been working to accommodate them.

It transpires that we needed much, much more than a simple service. Many of the component parts and systems had been ‘cobbled together’ by different engineers over the years, so much so that our beloved machine was almost an accident waiting to happen! The result is that more than a week later the engineers are still here, and by the time they leave, we will almost have a completely new machine. Heaven only knows what all this will cost, but suffice to say that this piece of equipment is so central to our entire wine making process, that it is a simply a price that we have to pay.Last week the bodega was closed for a short break before our busiest time of year. At this stage there is little that can be done in the vineyards, and so we take advantage to give our team a chance to re-charge their batteries before the main event – our harvest! Or at least that is the theory….. the reality is that most of our team were working.

It’s a bit of a convoluted story, and revolves around one very important piece of bodega equipment. Our ‘cold machine’. I suppose I should really call it our refrigeration unit, but in our daily conversations it is simply known as the cold machine. This super important piece of kit actually does two jobs: This is the machine that we use to chill the wine to below freezing for cold stabilisation (to prevent the formation of tartrate crystals in the finished wine), and most importantly (at this time of year), it forms the very heart of our temperature control system, without which the fermentation would simply career out of control. So, how does this relate to our holidays I hear you ask? Let me quickly explain.

In the period leading up to the harvest we have all our equipment serviced, including of course, the cold machine, and whilst we have refrigeration engineers here in Galicia, none of them really specialise in wine equipment. Probably the best company in Spain is based in Barcelona, and they are so highly sought after in the wine business that you don’t tell them when they should come, they tell you when they’re available. On this occasion the only time that they could come to Galicia was during our scheduled closure, and this left us with no choice – consequently many of our team have been working to accommodate them.

It transpires that we needed much, much more than a simple service. Many of the component parts and systems had been ‘cobbled together’ by different engineers over the years, so much so that our beloved machine was almost an accident waiting to happen! The result is that more than a week later the engineers are still here, and by the time they leave, we will almost have a completely new machine. Heaven only knows what all this will cost, but suffice to say that this piece of equipment is so central to our entire wine making process, that it is a simply a price that we have to pay.