Feeling hot, hot, hot!

Hi from Kefalonia!

 

I've been here for 3 weeks now, and have only just gotten used to the heat! Bloody hell its hot in the Med in August.

 

My first day here involved me landing, then meeting the guys at a nice restaurant on the bay, then unloading 7 tonnes of Sauvignon Blanc, in the midday sun. I've had to do similar unloads on a regular basis since and have never experienced effort like it!

 

Aside of the heat, a few other things that need getting used to are the early mornings (heat stops us from picking past 11am, so 4 or 5am starts aren't uncommon), wasps/hornets/devils-with-wings etc, and the language barrier. Luckily I don't have to pick too often, I'm more involved with the winemaking process, and the winemaker here is English, softening the language barrier as well.

 

The wines we're making are all white at the moment, made from Robola - a local gem, and also a bit of Muscato and Sauvignon Blanc. I've been putting my lecture slides to good use most days and have learned a lot about the potential pitfalls and logistics behind actual winemaking. Reds are arriving tomorrow, and should involve some barrels and some Syrah, my fave!!

 

I've got a couple more weeks left, so not too long until I saw goodbye to sodden feet, cut hands, great beaches and great food.