What a grey May.

Today, I did a Google search on how to spell the sound one makes when blowing a raspberry, as I hadn't the foggiest.  Luckily, others before me had seemingly pondered the same complex, philosophical question and so I learnt that a cartoonist, Berkeley Breathed (Bloom County), had spelled it thus, "PPTHHPTHPFFTHPPPT."  It doesn't sound quite wet enough, if you ask me, but for wont of a better spelling it is the spelling that I am going to adopt on my blog when I need to convey my especial distaste for something.  So here goes: PPTHHPTHPFFTHPPPT! to the month of May.
I had predicted, earlier in the year, that it was probably going to be a rather short winter.  I was wrong, very wrong, it still feels like winter.  It's been a cool and grey spring.  It has been unusually windy for about three weeks now and this past week the temps have been down in the low 60s.  Then, today, it rained.  Sigh.
However, despite the coolness, we finally have bloom in Vinoland.  I'd guesstimate that the Pinot grigio vines are almost two weeks behind their average bloom date.  Not that Mother Nature works on any particular viticultural-schedule, bloom-time is different every year, but the vines do seem to be particularly tardy this year.  Once again,  PPTHHPTHPFFTHPPPT!!!

National Wine Day.

Happy National Wine Day!  Who knew?  Not me.  Well, not until Vinomaker mentioned to me when I was on my way out to work this morning that it was indeed National Wine Day.  Nor, apparently, did every other person I spoke to today (at TWWIAGE) know that it was an official wine day.  So, to appease the wine Gods, I found as much wine as I could (at TWWIAGE) and drank it all.  Calm down Bacchus, I'm just joking.
Wine marketing at its finest.  Or, perhaps, worst.

Looking sharp.

Did I mention that I love my new Vinsanity logo?  I love it so much that I decided I wanted a higher resolution image because, well, let's just say I have a couple of ideas.  So back to Fiverr.com I went.

Actually, I went straight back to Caroline W who originally designed my logo for me and in less than 12 hours I had myself a high resolution version (600 dpi).  Vinomaker still can't believe that such a service exists, for the paltry sum of an insignificant fiver, but my lovely, crisp logo is proof positive.

Fiverr has relaxed its rules on privacy in the 2 months since I first found Caroline W on Fiverr.com, which is great because I'm nosy and I wanted to ask Caroline some questions. Caroline Wooton does indeed live in England. She has a bachelor's degree in computer science and is working as a freelancer on Fiverr, offering her design services to customers worldwide, so that she can put herself through a master's programme.  I think that's great.  Caroline is willing to work for a measly $5.00 per 'gig' (that's just £3.00), dealing with people like me, so that she has a brighter future.

I can't recommend Caroline enough, she provided me with some of the best customer service I have ever received.  If anyone out there is in need of a logo, (NHW, you know you want one), contact Caroline and have her design you something fun and unique - all for a fiver!  

I love my Vinsanity logo.

Where in the world is Vinogirl? Seconde parte.

I'm in Lucca.
Normal transmission will resume shortly...

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

I fibbed.  I said I wasn't going to bore anyone with yet another picture of bloom, but it's just such a fascinating time out in the vineyard that I couldn't help myself.  So, sue me!
Vinoland's Syrah vines are about 10% into bloom, not much I know, but it's a start.  Unfortunately, it rained today.  Not a lot, but three rather heavy cloudburst-like showers which were enough to send the Vinodogs and me running for cover in the barn each time. Vinomaker had just sprayed the vines with sulphur on Wednesday morning, so this rain event was particularly badly timed.
I hope this vintage is not going to be like 2011: a vintage in which Mother Nature roundly reminded the Napa Valley's winegrowers, by way of delivering rainy weather through to the very end of June, just who is boss.  Natural crop control at it's finest?