Under Protection

The vintage creeps ever closer. This spell of fine warm weather with cloudless days may not be the best for traditional farming but is a blessing for viticulturalists. The brix is rising in the grapes as I can personally attest. The big bunch of Sauvignon Blanc grapes I ate whilst on my walk this morning was juicy and sweet.
I have been keeping an eye on the Pinot Gris grapes featured in today's blip. You may recall an image of a handsome young fellow, Tarik, "lifting the wires" way back on the 11th of January. Well, these are a sample of those grapes grown on those vines.
The vines are on "Meadowbank" and the landowner, Will, tells me they are about a fortnight away from being harvested.
The netting is taut and excellently applied and the crop looks healthy and succulent. These grapes are grown for "Spy Valley", a winery in the Waihopai Valley just near the infamous spy station.
So, all you wine buffs out there, be on the lookout for "Spy Valley Pinot Gris" wine later this year. I am assured that this year's vintage will produce a very nice drop. Cheers!