Torrential rain hits European harvest

Vignerons over much of Europe are revising their harvest schedules as a band of very heavy rain moves east.

Bordeaux had two days of torrential rain at on Friday and Saturday which will presumably delay picking of Cabernets and threaten grape health after a prolonged period of very hot weather in early September. The Merlot harvest had already started on some properties. Mind you, this may not be bad news for the Bordelais who must have been wondering whether the market could possibly stand another top qualilty vintage, and what its effects might have been on those stratospheric prices for the 2005s. 

Rain...