Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Sunday, 31 March 2013

Loire: vines avoid March frost but not daffs


Having rained all day yesterday the skies cleared overnight leading to a frost apparently around -3˚C followed by bright sunshine. Fortunately the buds on the vines are still very tight and nowhere near budburst, otherwise the Loire might have had another heavy weather blow on its hands this morning to follow the frost of 16th/17th April 2012

However, our daffodils have been hit and as the photos show look decidedly sad. Any shrubs or fruity trees already in bloom are likely to have been hit – fortunately our cherry and plum trees are not yet in bloom, nor our walnut. Hopefully the magnolia, which is about to bloom, will be OK. Wait and see!


Sad daffodils and other early spring flowers (above and below)
 



 With the ground hard the bird table has been busy this morning

1 comment:

Anchois said...

Our daffs have been hit too, mainly with poor budding. Our plums are in blossom here (close to Chinon) and are holding up well - my neighbor tells me it's not frost on the blossom that's the problem, but frost on the developing buds. Academic really for this year!