Donned our gladrags and up to sweltering London and the Houses of Parliament today. UK Vineyards association annual competition awards ceremony, this year at the House of Commons. There was a reception on the terrace, gold medal wines there to taste, then lunch, speeches and presentations in the Members’ Dining Room. Julia, from Sweden who helped us grow and pick our 2012 grapes came along, and also daughter Liz, after whom the 2012 wine is named, to  help us collect our certificates, including a Bronze for that Elizabeth’s 2012.

The results were out a few weeks back, and we had a clutch of bronzes, but the overall Wine of the Year isn’t announced till the actual ceremony. It was “Nutty”, a fizz made from Pinot Noir, Reichensteiner and Chardonnay. Congrats to Nutbourne Vineyards, Pulborough, West Sussex! My own fave was a still Pinot Noir from Lavenham Brook Vineyard in Suffolk which we were lucky enough to drink with our main course. Pleased to hear the judges commend the Madeleine Angevines.

London was full of excitement about yesterday’s royal birth and our taxi from Paddington passed the media gazebo city outside Buckingham Palace, the queues waiting to see the famous easel and the red-coated Guards in their bearskins (poor them!) forming up for the changing of the guard, as we later learned, to play “Congratulations” outside the palace. We did hear the gun salute but I’m sorry to say mistook it for thunder.

All the other vinegrowers we talked to were thrilled with how their vines have caught up in the heatwave, and it’s the same here. At Oatley the grapes have completed their set in double-quick time in two-and-a-half weeks since the first flower on 7th July. Weather perfect. Mid to high 20s and mostly a good breeze. Pretty much back on track now after the cold spring. The powdery mildew we saw signs of earlier seems to have gone and everything looks clean and healthy. But they’re reaching for the sky, so  finishing the top-wire-raising and trimming is the job of the week. Lovely to have Julia here to help. (vine pics on our Facebook page, click here>>)