Vendange 2013

Grapes harvested from the vine outside our bedroom window.

ViolaMaths was visiting on Friday, and kindly offered (otherwise "persuaded") to climb out onto the balcony, and pick a selection of the grapes. It's dangerous work (care is needed not to fall off the balcony while reaching for distant grapes), but ViolaMaths managed to cut herself with the scissors. My judgement is that she will recover from the injury, but good food and drink may be needed for a complete cure.

The photograph shows that we had quite a reasonable crop, and we left a good percentage on the vine for the birds to enjoy.

Unfortunately, the grapes do not mature enough in these climes for them to have enough sugar in them to make a decent stab at wine-production. This is about as ripe as they get before they start to rot, which is why we started the vendange at this moment.

These grapes are destined for grape jelly, which is probably in production as I write this. It's a business involving huge saucepans, muslin stretched over chair legs, and other arcane operations.