My Vineyard Blog June 2009

The official opening of our adega

No ribbon to cut, no plaque to unveil just 50 or so people and an afternoon party.Boda molhado, abençado. A wet wedding is blessed, so goes the saying in Portuguese. The rain just let up in time for everyone to see the vineyard but the Serra de São Mamede remains semi-shrouded in dark grey cloud. A good turnout (you never know who is going to turn up in Portugal) and I am delighted to welcome the Presidents of the local councils from Portalegre and Castelo de Vide, the President of the local Junta de Freguesia (Parish Council) as well as friends from Lisbon, Porto and England.

Getting ready for our inauguration

All  hands required today to spruce up the quinta for the inauguration of the adegatomorrow. The main gate has been painted and looks very smart indeed. I spend most of the day weeding and clearing up litter from around the vineyard in the pouring rain. We already have a touch of oidium in the Trincadeira vineyard near Carvoeiro; the same place as last year due to the fact that my neighbour failed to treat his vines. By the end of the day I am thoroughly soaked but satisfied that the property looks at its best.

I am forever talking about the weather...

I met a regular reader of this blog the other day who said that I am forever talking about the weather. Well it's true, I do talk about the weather. Perhaps it is because I am English (we are always discussing our notoriously variable weather conditions) but also I suppose it is because I have become a farmer and the weather has a strong bearing on day-to-day life. So I make no excuses for mentioning the weather again.