The temperatures at Chateau Malaudos are stifling at the moment. The vines aren't at their best either, having taken the most awful battering during last September's hail-filled tornado. I think they look weakened and they really have very little fruit hanging. We've also suffered a bit from oidium thanks to hot and wet weather during the Spring. So we're sort of cutting our losses this year. It's likely we'll have precious few grapes to take to the Cave Co-operative; we'll just keep the best and make our own wine.
As for last year's meagre drop of wine, it's still trying to complete its malolactic fermentation. The wine is pretty high alcohol and the cave also hadn't been used for wine-making for years, so the necessary bacteria just aren't there. We're waiting to see our proper wine-making friends tonight to ask them what to do next.
Meanwhile the mazet looks pretty much like the building in this lovely painting by Julian Merrow-Smith . The postcard sized artwork is currently up for auction. Have a llok back through his archives - there's some wonderful work.
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