Who would be a grape grower at this time of the year!
After 5 months of hard slog tending the vineyard, pruning, spraying, slashing and loving care we are experiencing some diabolical wet weather. Not only do the grapes get disease from the damp conditions, the lack of sunshine stops them ripening fully. People often refer to the grape leaves as "sugar factories", and it's the sugar, baume level, that determines the picking time and alcoholic content of the wine. Baume is God to the winemakers, so we struggle like crazy in the Hunter with the wet weather and lack of sunshine at this time of the year.
We picked our Semillon on Friday, it was the best crop we've had in 10 years here. Great size bunches and the wet has not had quite the effect on the Semillon as it does not need as much baume as the Chardonnay and Shiraz. Anything from 10 - 12 will do. Very little disease, and some pretty impressive stats. Best of the best.
The Chardonnay is a different story - sitting on 12 baume at the moment we're hoping for at least another 1/2 degree before we're due to pick on Friday. We'll hand pick again, this time to pick the better fruit from the diseased bunches that have developed in the wet. Shot below is of a badly diseased bunch, Botrytis and rot, the following picture a perfect example of healthy fruit.
Raining again this morning! Not sure now what shape we'll be in for Friday!
How frustrating!
What a country and people! We celebrate a day when we settled a large and inhospitable "Southern land". Miles from anywhere, ships laden with convicts - many of whom had done not much more than steal a loaf of bread to subsist in a grimey and poverty stricken mother land! But they conquered the challenges, and prospered into a cheeky and successful country that punches far above its weight. A multicultural people benefitting from a richness and diversity of ancestral character into a real melting pot of nationalities.
Like many Aussies I celebrate today the contribution many of my ancestors have made to our great country, whether they be Governors or gatekeepers they have contributed their bit. I hope in my small way I can do the same.
We started the New year with a bang! Fireworks in Sydney and a very pleasant party in Rose Bay on the foreshore to celebrate. Only problem was getting back to Rushcutters Bay at two o'clock! Buses full, no cabs - only choice was to walk it. Still, a generous priming and an hour later we were home - made lots of New Year friends along the way who may or may not remember the occasion!
New Years day saw us on the harbour for a pleasant sail - a brisk breeze, not too much drama with only the headsail up and a sobering blast of fresh air.
What a way to start the year!
Is there a better harbour in the world?
We have traditionally had Christmas at our home with an extended family of both our clans. This year though we decided to break the large (24+) group up and just have a gathering for our immediate family and their families - 16 in total.
Amy and her lot are in Wagga Wagga midway for us in Sydney and Phils mob in Melbourne. We managed to secure a second home for some of the gang and had good accommodation for us all. As usual, great food and lots of fun, including the now traditional Pinata with the obligatory scramble for the scattered sweets as they got belted into oblivion!! Great fun for young and old.
Father Christmas came of course - we had all been good last year!
BUT, we also had a visit from "Supergirl" who was speeding so fast she was just a blurrrrr !!
Festivities were over far too fast and we all departed to our homes for some peace and much needed diets and exercise.
Haven't blogged for a while, not much of interest.
So, to everyone who stumbles upon this blog -
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I hope that you have a great break and that the New Year is good for you.
We are just back from visiting friends on the coast. Bruce is a bird lover and has just tamed some local Kookaburras. They patiently waited on the handrail for hours for the daily feeding ritual.
At first one then as the news spread the family turned up for their share...
For those not familiar with the Aussie Kookaburra they are part of the kingfisher family and have a very distinctive "laugh" and they generally laugh at dawn and are meant to herald forthcoming rain.
youtube has a number of videos of the Kookaburra - here's one
http://youtu.be/S0ZbykXlg6Q
Last night we had an "Unveiling". Some friends were in Rome recently and happened across an antique shop. There, in the window was a beautiful marble statue of a young lady. They liked it very much but thought at 160kgs was a liitle large and heavy for their luggage. Trip over and back home they were still pondering the missed chance to purchase this "beauty". They had kept a business card, but sadly it couldn't be located amongst all the travel treasures. And, they thought that the statue would be a great addition to their new nest!
Q. How do you track down the shop without contact details?
A. Easy, onto Google maps and by retracing their steps through Rome they tracked down the shop and its name and contact details.
A quick call ascertained the statue they saw had been sold, but the sculptor would create a similar "beauty". A deal was done and the said statue shipped to the New World. So, last night was the unveiling, obviously delighted owners revealing her to their adoring friends. Photo below, but other less tasteful photos have been kept private to protect the guilty!
