Bris type optimism in the vineyard at Nascondiglio di Bacco

30 Maggio

I am sure everyone knows about the joke concerning circumcision displaying the parents' optimism by allowing the removal of 20% before they know what he's got.   We are doing the same thing here at Nascondiglio di Bacco.  We are removing about half of the vines' branches to arrive at 5-7 which will put all the energy of the vine into those remaining branches and grapes and hopefully force a young 3 year old vine to make something a bit better and more complex.   We have flowering in the Pecorino-May 25 and Merlot-May 25-26 and Cabernet Franc-May 27 and Petit Verdot-May 28-29, one clone of Cab Sauv. May 28 and await flowering in the other 2 clones of Sauv and the Syrah and Montepulciano.  Also, the olive trees are flowering, we have a new litter of cats which has hidden in our out building, new baby pheasants in the land I left uncleared, new starlings in the roof tiles, strawberries etc... It is Spring fever here!  Oh, I should also say the spring has not been so good for the mice in my compost pile for obvious reasons..  Sorry if one of you was a future chef!