Wine Diary
Vine blossoms in rain, wind and sunshine!
Flowering began in the Kamptal at the end of May, slightly earlier than the long-term average. Whilst the pinhead-sized green berries are already clearly visible on the early varieties in the warmer areas, the Riesling vineyards on the upper Heiligenstein, for example, are still in full bloom. When the wind is still, a scent that is almost indefinable yet intensely captivating enchants the senses, reminding us of both the juice of green grapes (verjus) and freshly pressed grape seed oil.
Changeable weather conditions mean it is still too early to predict the outcome of the flowering. It is windy and has rained repeatedly of late, a blessing for the plants but, of course, not ideal for the flowering process. We can expect some ‘coulure’, which means ‘sparsely-berried’ – bunches if large numbers of unfertilized flowers fall from the clusters to the ground. And once again, the effects must be viewed with mixed feelings. Whilst a sparse cluster of berries on a bunch yields less, it sometimes saves the labor-intensive task of thinning by hand. Furthermore, the wind can flow freely through the bunch, carrying away moisture and contributing to the health of the future fruit.
