The 2011 harvest

In a few days, I was hoping to report on my experiences as a grape picker at the local vintner's cooperative. Haltinger Winzer are giving people the opportunity to help with the harvest for a day, learn a bit about the work involved, and then enjoy some "Zwiebelwaie" (onion tart) and "neuer Wii" after bringing the grapes back down the hill. Unfortunately, picking on 10 September, the day I was supposed to help out, has been postponed. The other scheduled date for all-comers to carry buckets and secateurs is the following Saturday. However, that's the day of my stag do.

My ambitions as an amateur grape picker have therefore been dashed for the time being. Nevertheless, I can console myself with the fact that the harvest looks a good one this year, judging from what I saw yesterday while out on a stroll just over border in Germany (see the Pinot Gris grapes above). The Gutedel crop looks on the verge of being picked, while Chardonnay and the Pinot varietals (red included) don't look too shabby either. Incredible given that it's still only early September.

[Edit at 20:51, 07.09.2011: I hasten to add that all sorts of meteorological vagaries could still put the cat among the pigeons as far as the 2011 vintage is concerned, one of which is too much rain. We've been there before in 2006, for instance, when the grape skins went "pop" and started to rot. The forecast looks promising for the moment, however. May it stay that way.]