A quick visit early evening on Saturday after Vitloire to Epeigné's sole 'classified' vineyard: Clos Chossay. As elsewhere in the commune the vines are in full flower with some tiny nascent grapes beginning to form. Grape flowers are certainly not dramatic as other fruit subjects like cherries and almonds are. Just a white stamen but as with other fruits flowering is crucial as it will determine the size of the crop and whether all the grapes will ripen at about the same time. 

From having been very dry in April and May, June is now looking increasing wet. Rain very early this morning and a pretty miserable forecast for the rest of the week. Made a quick visit to see one of my favourite Cher Valley producers yesterday. "I've never seen so many cèpes in the woods at this time of year," they told us. You can be sure that if the conditions are right for mushrooms, then they are right for black rot and mildew in the vineyards. Also it is the middle of the flowering – not good!

Here is my weekly posting on Les 5 du Vin.

Thursday 10th June: torrential rain

No sooner had I blogged that it had so far been very dry for much of this year than the heavens opened and we had a torrential rain storm with thunder and lightening. The road was rapidly transformed into a stream and water poured from the drain pipes. It subsequently rained steadily for much of Friday night /early Saturday morning.

Stats for Tours from Météo France shows that the average rainfall (46.7mm – period 1971-2000) for the whole of June had already fallen by 11th June (42mm). Most of it falling in the last three days – 9th-11th. In comparison there was only 16mm in April against an average of 55.5mm and 30mm in May against an average of 64.4mm.

Although we undoubtedly need some rain to make up for the shortage in April and May the timing is far from ideal as the vines have started flowering here. Damp, wet conditions are not what you want for a successful flowering. However, it may not be too bad as there has been a big sortie of potential bunches this year, so some reduction of the crop could be helpful. Perhaps then I won't be sued by the local producers for having unleashed the rain gods!