You may not have noticed but we have had unseasonably poor weather in June and July this year. My recommendations of sipping rosé wine at summer BBQ’s seem a little foolish in hindsight - perhaps I should have suggested gluhwein for this summer!

The impact of poor weather on my sales is hard to quantify but one thing is for sure - if the sun shines I sell more wine. Let’s hope for a brighter end to July and a better August.

On the positive side, my new Bushland Premium Estate Grown Shiraz from the Hunter Valley has finally arrived and will be finding its way onto the shelves over the next week. This is the top tier of our Bushland Australian range and I am hoping it will match the sales of our recently launched £4.99 wine, Ramon Lopez Morillo Rioja Reserva. The Shiraz is rich, spiced and alcoholic and whilst in normal circumstances I wouldn’t suggest it as a first choice summer tipple, it is probably just the right tonic for this year’s sodden season.

Here’s to brighter skies over the coming weeks.