Sunday 13th September – We woke up this morning to steady rain, and the prognosis did not look good. By the time we actually reached the bodega the rain had stopped, and then it became one of those horrible ‘judgement calls’. Do we start the ball rolling, and go for it, or should we err on the side of caution and lose a day of picking (knowing that there is very probably worse to come in a couple of days – the storm that I mentioned yesterday)? In the end we decided to opt out, rack a few tanks of grape must (after a period of settling), and then go home for a nice Sunday lunch!

With hindsight this was actually the wrong call, as, apart from one brief shower during the afternoon, it remained dry throughout the day. Oh, the joys of Galician weather!Sunday 13th September – We woke up this morning to steady rain, and the prognosis did not look good. By the time we actually reached the bodega the rain had stopped, and then it became one of those horrible ‘judgement calls’. Do we start the ball rolling, and go for it, or should we err on the side of caution and lose a day of picking (knowing that there is very probably worse to come in a couple of days – the storm that I mentioned yesterday)? In the end we decided to opt out, rack a few tanks of grape must (after a period of settling), and then go home for a nice Sunday lunch!

With hindsight this was actually the wrong call, as, apart from one brief shower during the afternoon, it remained dry throughout the day. Oh, the joys of Galician weather!

Saturday 12th September – All the original weather predictions for Saturday were for rain, but owing to the unpredictability of our weather we decided to set up for picking anyway – and just as well we did. It wasn’t perhaps the sunniest of days, albeit that there were odd glimpses, but the most important thing is that it remained dry. Having completed our Castrelo and Cunchidos vineyards in the first two days, we moved on to our home vineyard, surrounding the bodega. Planted more than ten years ago, and benefiting from a southwesterly aspect, the fruit we gather from this site improves with every year that passes.

Of course the big advantage of harvesting on ‘home soil’ is quite simply the proximity – the fruit is in the bodega within a matter of minutes, and into the presses quite soon after that. As I have said in the past, we work hard on our logistics during the picking – once the bunches have been clipped from the vines, then we do everything humanly possible to speed them through the presses, converting them into grape must and getting this into our tanks. Heat and fruit oxidation are always our biggest enemies in white wine production.

After two record breaking days the pace slowed just a little, still harvesting a good quantity, but slightly more relaxed after two quite frenetic days. Our motivation throughout this period was (as it very often is at this time of year), the weather forecast. With more rain forecast for Sunday, and the tail end of a hurricane arriving on Tuesday, we prefer to gather our fruit now, whilst still healthy and before it gets a good soaking.Saturday 12th September – All the original weather predictions for Saturday were for rain, but owing to the unpredictability of our weather we decided to set up for picking anyway – and just as well we did. It wasn’t perhaps the sunniest of days, albeit that there were odd glimpses, but the most important thing is that it remained dry. Having completed our Castrelo and Cunchidos vineyards in the first two days, we moved on to our home vineyard, surrounding the bodega. Planted more than ten years ago, and benefiting from a southwesterly aspect, the fruit we gather from this site improves with every year that passes.

Of course the big advantage of harvesting on ‘home soil’ is quite simply the proximity – the fruit is in the bodega within a matter of minutes, and into the presses quite soon after that. As I have said in the past, we work hard on our logistics during the picking – once the bunches have been clipped from the vines, then we do everything humanly possible to speed them through the presses, converting them into grape must and getting this into our tanks. Heat and fruit oxidation are always our biggest enemies in white wine production.

After two record breaking days the pace slowed just a little, still harvesting a good quantity, but slightly more relaxed after two quite frenetic days. Our motivation throughout this period was (as it very often is at this time of year), the weather forecast. With more rain forecast for Sunday, and the tail end of a hurricane arriving on Tuesday, we prefer to gather our fruit now, whilst still healthy and before it gets a good soaking.

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!

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.

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.

It’s almost exactly two years since I wrote about ‘green harvesting’, and the summer of 2015 is no different. Over the last few weeks our guys have been out in the vineyards removing excess bunches. The reasoning behind this is quite simple – the lower the yield, the better the quality. Removing a few bunches on each vine helps to concentrate the energy of the plant into the remaining fruit – a big harvest is rarely a beautiful harvest.

To date the 2015 growing season has been quite favourable, with plenty of warm sunny weather. August is proving to be a few degrees cooler than July, when temperatures often hovered in the upper 20’s C (between 77° and 86°F). Having said that, the one thing they both have in common is the lack of rainfall. I think it’s true to say that the last prolonged period of ‘real’ rain (as opposed to light drizzle) was back in mid-May, nearly three months ago. On our local motorways the signs above the carriageways warn of the high risk of forest fires, whilst our local tourist industry benefits from the crowds packing onto our beautiful beaches.It’s almost exactly two years since I wrote about ‘green harvesting’, and the summer of 2015 is no different. Over the last few weeks our guys have been out in the vineyards removing excess bunches. The reasoning behind this is quite simple – the lower the yield, the better the quality. Removing a few bunches on each vine helps to concentrate the energy of the plant into the remaining fruit – a big harvest is rarely a beautiful harvest.

To date the 2015 growing season has been quite favourable, with plenty of warm sunny weather. August is proving to be a few degrees cooler than July, when temperatures often hovered in the upper 20’s C (between 77° and 86°F). Having said that, the one thing they both have in common is the lack of rainfall. I think it’s true to say that the last prolonged period of ‘real’ rain (as opposed to light drizzle) was back in mid-May, nearly three months ago. On our local motorways the signs above the carriageways warn of the high risk of forest fires, whilst our local tourist industry benefits from the crowds packing onto our beautiful beaches.

Well, to be honest, I’m not quite sure if today’s post is ironic or not. Ironic is one of the most misused words in our dictionary, and more especially in the dictionary of Alanis Morrisette! There is actually quite a subtle difference in definition between what is ironic and what is simply poetic coincidence, so please chose whichever one you think is correct for this story….

Yesterday evening I was thinking that I should write about the near drought conditions that we have here in Galicia at the moment. It was probably back in the middle of May that we had any period of sustained rainfall. True, we have had a couple of odd, cloudy, damp days with just a bit of drizzle, but nothing more than that for over two months. So where’s the irony in that? Of course you can probably guess the answer to that question…… When I opened our shutters this morning, it had been raining, or at least the ground appeared to be quite wet. It’s not actually raining as I write, but we are still shrouded in low cloud and have that horrible misty rain hanging in the air, so I have no idea whether it was heavy rain or just another short shower, followed by drizzle. As far as I’m aware it wasn’t forecast and the predictions say that we will return to warm sunshine within a matter of hours.

Meanwhile, in our vineyards, the consequence of all this warm, dry weather is that the maturity of our fruit has been accelerated quite considerably, and so instead of a predicted harvest date of mid-late September, we are now making preparations for picking to start nearer to the beginning of the month. Let’s see where we go from here.Well, to be honest, I’m not quite sure if today’s post is ironic or not. Ironic is one of the most misused words in our dictionary, and more especially in the dictionary of Alanis Morrisette! There is actually quite a subtle difference in definition between what is ironic and what is simply poetic coincidence, so please chose whichever one you think is correct for this story….

Yesterday evening I was thinking that I should write about the near drought conditions that we have here in Galicia at the moment. It was probably back in the middle of May that we had any period of sustained rainfall. True, we have had a couple of odd, cloudy, damp days with just a bit of drizzle, but nothing more than that for over two months. So where’s the irony in that? Of course you can probably guess the answer to that question…… When I opened our shutters this morning, it had been raining, or at least the ground appeared to be quite wet. It’s not actually raining as I write, but we are still shrouded in low cloud and have that horrible misty rain hanging in the air, so I have no idea whether it was heavy rain or just another short shower, followed by drizzle. As far as I’m aware it wasn’t forecast and the predictions say that we will return to warm sunshine within a matter of hours.

Meanwhile, in our vineyards, the consequence of all this warm, dry weather is that the maturity of our fruit has been accelerated quite considerably, and so instead of a predicted harvest date of mid-late September, we are now making preparations for picking to start nearer to the beginning of the month. Let’s see where we go from here.

It has become quite fashionable in recent years for students to take a ‘gap year’ before starting university, and the vast majority use this break from their studies to go travelling. Of course their travel has to be financed, and one of the more popular jobs that students will often seek is ‘doing a vintage’, whether it be in Europe, North America or perhaps in the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, working a vintage is probably just one of those romantic ideas, and the reality is often a lot harder than many of them would bargain for.

Firstly, it is always quite physically demanding work, and can be complicated by some very harsh working conditions – long hours working under the sun, and plenty of sticky grape juice that will no doubt attract many a flying insect (some of which might be the stinging variety). As I often mention, this is probably even more uncomfortable here in Galicia, as nearly all of our picking is from pergola, and standing all day with your arms extended overhead will certainly make your neck and shoulders ache.

When you sign up for harvest, you’re there to work, not to take selfies in the vineyard, or to rub elbows with a famous winemaker. You absolutely do not get to taste wine all day, if at all. In fact, the most prevalent beverage will be cold water and you’ll consider yourself lucky to have an ample supply to last the day (actually we supply the water to our pickers, we’re not that heartless!). At the end of a long day in the vineyard your prime objective will probably be to get a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow you’ll be doing the same thing all over again.

So why do it? Why would anyone ever consider picking grapes if the harvest experience is so horrible? Perhaps it’s because just as the work starts to get unbearable, it’s over. Or maybe it’s because you will feel connected to nature, to the elements or to your fellow pickers – after all, it’s much more satisfying than standing in a factory making widgets. Indeed, the list of the reasons to work a harvest is compelling – camaraderie, burning calories, beautiful vineyard locations, helping to make something meaningful and not least of all, having the chance to meet some really passionate people.

It has become quite fashionable in recent years for students to take a ‘gap year’ before starting university, and the vast majority use this break from their studies to go travelling. Of course their travel has to be financed, and one of the more popular jobs that students will often seek is ‘doing a vintage’, whether it be in Europe, North America or perhaps in the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, working a vintage is probably just one of those romantic ideas, and the reality is often a lot harder than many of them would bargain for.

Firstly, it is always quite physically demanding work, and can be complicated by some very harsh working conditions – long hours working under the sun, and plenty of sticky grape juice that will no doubt attract many a flying insect (some of which might be the stinging variety). As I often mention, this is probably even more uncomfortable here in Galicia, as nearly all of our picking is from pergola, and standing all day with your arms extended overhead will certainly make your neck and shoulders ache.

When you sign up for harvest, you’re there to work, not to take selfies in the vineyard, or to rub elbows with a famous winemaker. You absolutely do not get to taste wine all day, if at all. In fact, the most prevalent beverage will be cold water and you’ll consider yourself lucky to have an ample supply to last the day (actually we supply the water to our pickers, we’re not that heartless!). At the end of a long day in the vineyard your prime objective will probably be to get a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow you’ll be doing the same thing all over again.

So why do it? Why would anyone ever consider picking grapes if the harvest experience is so horrible? Perhaps it’s because just as the work starts to get unbearable, it’s over. Or maybe it’s because you will feel connected to nature, to the elements or to your fellow pickers – after all, it’s much more satisfying than standing in a factory making widgets. Indeed, the list of the reasons to work a harvest is compelling – camaraderie, burning calories, beautiful vineyard locations, helping to make something meaningful and not least of all, having the chance to meet some really passionate people.