We have had beautiful, dry, sunny weather since
mid-June and, after three rather demanding vintages, are delighted with the
very low level of fungal disease. In fact, the last real rainy spell goes back
to the 15th and 16th of June, after the Merlot had
finished flowering.
Precipitation since the 1st of April
has been particularly low, with a total of just 147 mm as of the 5th
of August. This is much less than in previous years (for example, the figure
was 267 mm by the same date in 2009). As things now stand, rainfall is
equivalent to that for the 2005 vintage. This lack of rain has obviously meant a reduced
water supply to the vines. The effects are starting to show, with a positive
influence on quality and the synthesis of polyphenols. This situation has also
led us to change our vineyard practices, going on the assumption that
"ploughing once is better than watering twice" (an old saying is all the more appropriate
since it is strictly forbidden to irrigate the vines!). Colour change, or véraison, started at Palmer on the 21st of July. This
got off to a relatively slow start, but has since speeded up, and peak véraison took place on the 5th
of August for Merlot. However, our Cabernet Sauvignon grapes will probably only
reach this stage during the week of August 9th.
