Wine Diary
Stop and Go: Picking during unsettled weather conditions
Some growers might be close to despair, picking grapes during a variable weather situation: sun, clouds and some rain showers alternating in unbroken sequence. What normally is good for the vegetation, now proves to be nerve-racking for us during harvest time. It means, as soon as we dare to start work a dash of rain forces us to pack up everything and wait again for drying winds or more sun.
Well of course it is important to keep cool and not to lose focus. Very careful, slow and selective picking is the secret to High Quality for the 2013 harvest. Out of each bunch we will have to patiently cut off the unsuitable parts.
For the moment the weather is favouring the lighter, fruity and fresh styles we prefer as base wines for our Bründlmayer Brut.
It looks like full-bodied reserves and soft red wines will be harder to get this year, but that may change any time now. The weather forecast already gives grounds for optimism.
This week we brought in Zweigelt, St. Laurent and Pinot Noir grapes for our sparkling base wines. Next week we will set out for the Chardonnays and Pinots for Bründlmayer Brut 2013. Hoping for dry but cool weather.
Willi Bründlmayer