This morning Mike Eaton kindly took me out to a vineyard he’s working with in the Awatere Valley (Marlborough, New Zealand) to give a quick pruning masterclass. Here’s the film –…
In the vineyards with Johan Reyneke talking farming and biodynamics
Had a lovely morning with Johan Reyneke at is Stellenbosch farm. Duncan Savage and I swung by for a spot of breakfast, and we had a lengthy chat about how…
Ceilings for wine quality in Bordeaux
I’ve spent a few days in Bordeaux, during which I’ve had a chance to speak to a few knowledgeable people and also to walk through quite a few vineyards. (And…
Gratuitous pictures of grapes here in Russia
Some pictures of grapes ready for harvest at Fanagoria winery. The hygeinic status of the vineyards I’ve seen so far has been excellent – they’re really well maintained. Yields in…
Sousao is not a teinturier variety
OK, a bit of geeky viticultural stuff. I’d always been told that Portuguese variety Sousao was a teinturier: a grape with coloured flesh. Normally red grapes have all their pigment…
The remarkable viticulture of Dry River, Martinborough, New Zealand
I have just published an extended write-up of a visit to one of New Zealand’s most exciting producers: Dry River, Martinborough. Here, I want to focus on one aspect of…
Veraison, at last
Veraison – the stage in grape phenology where the berries change colour and the skins soften – is occurring at last with my Pinot Noir vines. I’ve deliberately chosen this…
The Klima: a New Zealand innovation
On my recent trip to Kiwiland I saw an interesting innovation that looks set to save growers lots of money. It’s called the Klima (www.klima.co.nz): a mechanical gizmo that strips…
Flowering has started and the hats are coming off
Flowering has started on my Pinot Noir vines. You’ll see that some of the flowers have emerged; others still have their caps on. These browning caps can cause botrytis later…