The first juice arrives!

Had to stay in a very strange looking hotel in the centre of Rivesaltes last night as all the usual IBIS, Mercure and Novotel in Perpignan were fully booked. The hotel was the La Tour de l’Horlage and I fully recommend it. The rooms haven’t changed since the 1930’s but it is immaculately clean.

On arrival I was greeted by the very friendly owner who showed to my room and then told me I was expected in the restaurant in 15 minutes! Purposely 10 minutes late, I gingerly went down to the restaurant only for Madame to reveal a marvellous little open air courtyard restaurant serving simple and delicious Catalan barbecue grub, good music in the background and some honest local rustic wine.

After a great night sleep I was fresh and ready to load the 2009 GG juice and transport it to the Chai. The juice had chilled and settled perfectly so I racked (took the clear juice off the sediment) straight into the tanker. Once the tanker was full and the paperwork was completed, it was the long 5hour drive back to Castillon. I had to get a move on as I was holding a tasting for a wedding party who were having their reception at the Chai at 6pm!


I finally made it to the Chai at about 5 minutes to six dressed in work clothes and with the tanker in tow.

The Chai looked amazing thanks to a lot of hard work from Clare and Bridgitte, the guests were delighted to witness a real working cellar in full action whilst they enjoyed the nibbles and Champagne!

After a long week I treated myself to a glass of Champagne to toast in the new vintage





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Last night was cooler and some rain which will be welcomed by red vineyards – but a worry for whites.

With 28 degrees forecasted for today, botrytis (grey rot) could be knocking on the door soon!

First stop this morning is at the property of Monsieur Toquebio in the l'Herault, close to Montpellier, to check the Pinot Noir for a Champs Etoile 2009 which, although low yields due to water stress, is looking great.

Monsieur Toquebio is extremely proud of his wines. I was lucky enough to be given a lengthy tasting from vats and barrels, during which I also noticed a small vat of Cabernet Franc. I asked for taste and amazingly, the wine was stunning and for sale! I left with a sample to taste with Jean-Marc and Clare tomorrow evening in Bordeaux.

I then headed for Salles sur l'Aude in the north of Narbonne to oversee the bottling of the Champs d'Etoile 2008 Pinot Noir at the CVS bottling plant. Once I had tasted everything and the bottling was well underway, I made my way into the wild Corbières where I did a little bit of undercover work and stopped into a few wineries to see what the quality was like.

I continued into Fitou and then up over the other side into the l'Agly valley and to my home from home, the Cave De Maury! I checked the GG juice and decided I wanted another 12 hours settling, so I liaise with the transporter to ensure a tanker will be here first thing tomorrow, to safely take the juice to our Chai in Bordeaux.

On the way back towards the Med I was pleased to feel the Tramontane northerly wind. The wind will naturally dry the vineyards from last night’s rain to keep the rot at bay. It is now when good pruning shows as the vines that have been well pruned will benefit the most from the wind.





Tonight I am staying in the old town of Rivesaltes – famed for its fortified Muscat wines. I get to the Maison de Muscat just in time to have an aperitif of some of the very old Ambre and Tuile Rivesaltes.

Will have to get my skates on tomorrow as the loading and transport of the 2009 GG juice is at 7:30 am and then I am hosting a wedding reception with JMS at the Chai in Castillon at 6pm!

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After a very muggy evening in Perpignan, on the Mediterranean Spanish border, the skies finally broke and this morning was fresh with blue skies.

At 6am this morning I was in Maury to check the last day’s harvest of GG grapes and the to taste the settled juice from yesterday. Then it was straight off to east of Beziers to Cousseigues to check on the progress of some Vermentino and Marsanne vineyards.

I met up with Arnoud de Bertier, who showed me some great Vermentino and introduced me to his New Zealand winemaker James Graham. The Vermentino will probably be picked this weekend, so hopefully will be in the Chai early next week.

I mentioned to Arnoud that I was interested in some Roussanne and within 10 minutes, I was on my way to see his brother Phillipe who has a small vineyard of Roussanne at his Chateau! The parcel was fantastic. The Roussanne is later ripening so I have 10 days to monitor the vineyard before I can get it into the Chai.

Lunch 'on the hoof' as I drove about 100 miles to the north of Nimes in search of the village of Ledenon to look at some Viognier with Michel Badon. He also gave me a tip off about some good grapes in the area so I went to check it out. After spending a couple of hours lost in the Costieres de Nimes vineyard area, I finally tracked down Jean-Louis at Cave Co-op Pazac.

He had some exciting Viognier but was not happy because of the low yields – 40 percent down on last year! A good little find I reckon and I am glad.

Sleeping in Narbonne tonight to prepare for an early rise as I am going into the wild Corbières tomorrow!

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