Time marches on, each day the sun sets a little closer to Monte Forato and the trees either side of the road going up to Canteo turn yellow and are about to drop.
The season is just about to move definitely into its autumnal phase.
Maybe it’s the moment to spare a thought about the oncoming winter? Time to stock up with wood, repair that draughty window.

Hmmm maybe not. Maybe there are other far more interesting chores that need to be done first. For instance – for those people who did there their vendemmia early (article here) it’s time to bottle the wine.

[Click here for slideshow]

In the gallery above pops up a face that is well known on barganews – that of Geoff Collins-White, the evergreen singer with the Barga blues band – Jack’s Pack (site here)  – he who earlier on this summer guided the band through some of the classics of R+B and Blues orientated rock at the very successful Lake Angels Soul Festival 2008 (article here)

This time instead of working the crowd he could be seen hard at work working the hand operated bottling machine as he corked the very best of this year’s crop of red and wine wine. Only problem was that none of this wine was to be drunk locally. In fact all of it is being shipped to the UK for his son’s wedding later on next year. Does local wine travel well ? There are two schools of thought on this one – both of which think not, but time will tell.

Charlotte and Rupert are getting married in June 2009. The staff at barganews wish them all the very best in this new endeavour. Regular readers of barganews will probably remember Rupert but just to jog your memories, back in 2002 we charted the unfolding story of a journalist trying to come to terms with the two opposing aims of enjoying a prolonged stay in Barga during the summer festivals and at the same time writing a book.

Did he succeed in either or both? Very good question. He did write some stunning articles during his stay in Barga, touching on such diverse and meaningful subjects as, Mushrooms, Grappa, Petanque and Lake Angels, all of which can be read here; Rupert on Barga

From the barganews archives: on this day..

• Grappa making - 2009