For those of us - and there are many, from logistics co-ordinators to writers to tasters to designers to database wizards - who gather each year for a very brief three months to work on Platter's (read my conflict of interest alert), the last week in June is a critical date. It's usually then that wines are due for delivery, and tasting on the 6000-odd wines that are reviewed each year for the guide can begin in earnest. I collected a batch of wines allocated to me on Friday June 25, took them off to the peace and quiet of Pringle Bay and merrily tasted away. That's the wines boxed up here, ready to be unpacked into my fridge in the case of whites, or lined up on the table for reds and fortifieds. Stitch, in her lug box, seems to realise walks will be only as often as I take a break, and brief. Three days later, 100 wines down. Now to brave the online interface and compile my notes.