As I write this from a cafe safely perched on the Buda castle hill in Budapest, below the Danube is gushing past, rising and rising as it heads east. The volume of water is now seriously impressive. Towns in the Danube's path in Germany have already been inundated, and now northern parts of Budapest have been evacuated. The hot temperature and the summer sun belie the dangerous flow of the river.
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| Redundant street sign! |
Sand banks are being constructed while the closest roads to the river have already been submerged. I hear tomorrow will be the peak: good thing I am flying out tonight!
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| Sandbanking on Danube |
Just out of Budapest, vineyards have also had a lot of water from weeks of heavy downpours but if the sun of these past few days stays out for a while, 2013 looks like a good vintage. Which is why I am here. Lots to do to prepare for new vintages of Campanula as well as loads of other opportunities...Trying to stay a step ahead...!
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| Original poster from Torley, home to Campanula |
With three strong regions in our Central & Eastern European range - Hungary, Romania and Moldova - now is the time to push these forward as well as looking at some other regions in this area. Why? Amazing history, changing social and political trends, unique personal stories, and the wines are getting better and better. I want to bring a few more interesting wines, especially reds into the range over the next year - watch this space - but for the immediate future, whites are the superstars. And there's a big opportunity... with NZ prices going up and a practically non-existent vintage in the Loire, where can we look for consistently good quality and value Sauvignon Blanc? We're missing a trick if we don't push Albastrele and Paris Street Sauvignon Blanc (both award winning!). And now I'm looking to complete the trio from Hungary with a new SB to launch with the '13 vintage.
For more photos of the flooding Danube and Budapest, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151697760706241.1073741843.738991240&type=1&l=f60029273d
AND
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151697732331241.1073741842.738991240&type=1&l=8f6a210312
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