Think glass bottles are safer than plastic?

 

Only if you use corks and not plastic-lined caps, a somewhat counterintuitive finding. This French study finds that contamination with microplastics (MPs) is higher in glass bottles with plastic caps than in plastic bottles. The MPs matched the plastic composition of the caps. The authors suggest that cap abrasion during storage drives contamination. 

What about wine with screw caps that have a plastic liner?  And why do sodas and lemonade have higher content than iced teas, which often also have lemon flavouring. This study raises more questions than it answers. 

Grapes in the polytunnel

 

The grapes in the polytunnel are almost ready to pick. They've turned red very quickly since the start of veraison. But curiously, they are not the light red colour that they are in photos online. They are much darker red in colour. Below is what they are supposed to look like. 

Future Forests' photo of Vanessa. 

We also have olives coming in the polytunnel. They are tiny and hard. You are supposed to pick them just as they start turning darker in colour. Sounds like preparing olives so they are edible can be quite honorous,

Interview with myself

OCC Interviews: Daria Blackwell 2025 

Simon Currin, Past Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club, interviewed me about my back story and how I got into sailing and serving the OCC. 

A tad windy today

The wind is gusting up over 55 knots out of the SW today. Hopefully, the vineyard will not be suffering any damage. We're supposed to be getting a lot of rain right now, but it's not raining that hard, just blowing stink. 

Europe facing serious drought

Drought has become a regular compound extreme event affecting Europe. This drought has been going since mid-April. An extreme marine heat wave affecting the Mediterranean Sea is no doubt a contributing factor.  The Mediterranean is on fire. A buoy off the coast of Majorca has measured a sea surface temperature of 31ºC in JUNE, the average AUGUST temperature is 26ºC. Temperatures range from 3-7ºC above average across the basin. This marine heatwave is setting new records for what's possible. 

The near-term future for Europe is grim. A strong high pulled scorching Iberian air into France: 39°C in Zaragoza, 38°C Toulouse, 37°C Paris & Lyon. Dry skies, stagnant air trap heat. A textbook Mediterranean heatwave — amplified by Climate Change, raising risks of droughts, wildfires & health stress. This is what scientists were predicting for 2050 not 2025. 

By early January 2025 the Combined Drought Indicator (CDI) shows warning drought conditions in southern Italy, eastern Baltic Sea region, eastern Poland, Greece, Turkey, part of the Balkans, Belarus, central-eastern Ukraine, southern and western Russia, Cyprus, Malta and other Mediterranean islands, as well as Ireland and the UK.  

I'm glad we let our vines grow deep roots for the first few years. They seem to be doing great this year so far. 

Happy 4th of July!

Cool region Pinot Noir

Despite the heat, it's still relatively cool in Ireland compared to mainland Europe.  I was right to try Pinot Noir, another short-season grape which was made fickle by growing it in warmer regions. If Pinot Noir can do well in Ontario, we should be able to have some success with it in Mayo!

We haven't had a crop of Pinot Noir yet, but when we do, I will treat it delicately. Pinot Noir's success stems from its unique ability to express terroir, its elegant and complex flavour profile, and its versatility in food pairing. The grape is known for its delicate aromas of red fruits, earthiness, and floral notes, as well as its light to medium body and silky tannins. Pinot Noir's popularity also comes from its ability to showcase the characteristics of the vineyard in which it's grown, making each bottle a unique reflection of its origin. While Pinot Noir is prized for its quality, it is also notoriously difficult to grow, requiring specific cool climates and careful vineyard management. 

Pinot Noir thrives in cool to moderate climates with consistent temperatures throughout the growing season. This helps the grapes ripen slowly and develop nuanced flavours, avoiding overly tart characteristics. Wine publications advise that the ideal temperature range for Pinot Noir during the growing season is generally between 55°F and 60°F (13°C to 16°C). Adequate sunshine is needed for proper ripening, but excessive heat can be detrimental. The best Pinot Noir regions often have a balance of sunshine and cool temperatures. 

Ireland's climate, while often wetter and cooler than traditional Pinot Noir regions, falls within the range of what is considered suitable for this grape, especially as temperatures warm due to climate change. The Old Roots Vineyard in Co Wexford has successfully grown Pinot Noir among other varieties. 

A heat dome continues to dominate Europe

 

This heat dome is incredible so early in summer. France has 16 regions on red heatwave alert today, and the Eiffel Tower is closed. Portugal and Spain have already broken their June records with 46°C. Typically, heat builds over July and August. This is a reminder that we are entering a new climate era. 

Spain and England have recorded their hottest June ever, as scorching temperatures continue to grip Europe.  Spain's weather service Aemet said the "extremely hot" June, with an average temperature of 23.6°C (74.5°F), has pulverised records, surpassing the normal average for July and August. In England, the Met Office said June's mean temperature of 16.9°C set a new record for that month, while the UK as a whole saw its second warmest June since records began in 1884.

Mainland Portugal experienced a record daily temperature for June of 46.6°C. The Mediterranean hit a record 30C. 

On Monday, the highest daily UK temperature was recorded at Heathrow Airport in London at 33.1°C. Meanwhile, Wimbledon recorded a temperature of 32.9°C, the tennis tournament's hottest opening day on record. On Tuesday, the UK recorded 34.7°C in St James's Park in London, making it the hottest day of the year so far. 

June 2025 was the fourth warmest on record in Ireland, according to the latest monthly climate statement from Met Éireann. June 2025’s average temperature stood at 15.10°C, the fourth highest figure on record going back to 1900. Compared to the long-term average for 1961 to 1991, last month was 1.88°C warmer. It was 1.42°C above the long-term average for the period of 1991 to 2020.

Spring 2025 was the warmest on record for Ireland, with the highest sunshine totals recorded at most stations for the period of March, April and May. As a result of the warmer, sunnier and calmer conditions, a marine heatwave developed off the west coast of Ireland in April and May with sea surface temperatures reaching over 2°C warmer than average in some coastal areas, and up to 4°C warmer than average in offshore areas.

Our climate is definitely undergoing rapid transformation. I'm glad we planted grapes.