ZABIBU

There has been a cyclone off madagascar and the weather there has brought rain up this way as well. We have had 4.3 mm 4.5mm and 5.4m of rain thes last three nights. Tonight it looks clear but maybe we will get a bit more tomorrow. Fortunately this has not affected the vines and wont be enough to do any damage.The sugars and flavours are still excellent. We have had less sunshine during the day so the ripening has been slower but this is not a problem yet.

We thinned the leaves from around the chardonnay fruit yesterday and this has already made a difference to the grapes and they are turning from green to a beautiful gold colour on the tops of the bunches. They have fabulous flavours. We shall pcik the Chardonnay after the Pinot Noir again this year.

Tomorrow I will go and pick some fruit and look at the pips on some of the riper bunches and see what they are looking like. I think we are at least a week off picking the Pinot Noir still.

Will post some pictures of pips perhaps tomorrow.