A very lean year.

Biblical in its proportion, we have suffered the leanest possible of all years in 2019. Already last year we had lost more grapes to birds than ever before. This time word had obviously got around and the blighters stripped the vineyard of almost every available grape both ripe and unripe.

It had all started so well

Nevertheless, our neck of the woods had been extremely dry with what rain there was seeming to miss us out. We spent most of our available time irrigating the newly planted Soreli with no time for summer pruning or whatever.

When it did rain, this triffid-like fungus appeared. Never seen anything like it.

Solaris

On the other hand, there was no sign of fungal disease in the vineyard. That was a good surprise because although we had removed all the Bacchus we had still expected the Goldriesling to become mildewed as it had in previous years. We hadn't bothered to spray this because we only have about 20 vines of this variety. Maybe this year's frequent winds had helped keeping everything healthy?

Goldriesling

Goldriesling

More Goldriesling

When we saw that the Goldriesling was ripening about the same time as the Solaris and that the birds were beginning to take an interest we quickly picked what was left of these two varieties - enough for about 4.5 litres. Pathetic maybe but at least something.

At that point the reds (Regent, Dornfelder, Pinots Noir, Precoce and Meunier) looked as if they needed a good couple of weeks more. The Rondo had alread been eaten by the birds but we are used to that every year.

On our return not much more than a week later, everything had gone. 

To quote La Fontaine, the grapes were probably sour.

We are of course disappointed especially having opened a bottle of our Red Field Blend of 2018 the other day. It was really rather good.

Looking at the bigger picture, the vast majority of our vines were planted only this year and in 2018 so we are still playing the waiting game. Meanwhile it would have been nice to have a few litres from the other grapes. The Geisenheim G.8107-3 had been looking promising as had the others - Helios, Johanniter, Phoenix and Sirius. Souvignier Gris was less promising unlike in 2018. They were all ravaged before their time.

What to do about this problem in the future? Netting doesn't seem practicable. Maybe we have to organise a Pheasant shoot? But what if it's the squirrels of which there has been an abundance? They have stripped our plumb, damson and greengage trees quite bare this year. Who is to say they don't eat grapes too?

Answers on a postcard please.