The grapes have started to turn colour but they are still quite petite. I hope they get to fill in a bit more before harvest. We had two storms back to back in less than a week -- not as bad as further south of us which got the brunt of the winds and rain. Fortunately, we staked just before the storms and we did not lose anything except one branch. I think the vineyard is quite protected by the orchard and hedges. Today, the winds turned to the North and it got quite cool. I hope the heat returns in time to help the grapes reach a good sugar content.
Only the Rondos have fruited and they are quite heavily laden. Only one Solaris fruited -- the only one left potted in the nursery. No other Solaris even bloomed this year. I wonder what's the story there.
So far the Pinot Noir vines are the most promising from the newer plantings. The Albarino sadly looks like it is struggling to survive.
We are experimenting with adding some seaweed around the first ten vines. We'll see if that improves the vigor of the fruit next year, or if the growth gets too robust.
