It was very early and I was already arguing in French with various people who only say “non c’est pas possible” over the exact size of the tanker

However after some diplomatic work it suddenly now became “tout c’est possible”!

This is expensive stuff and it must be perfectly loaded with no air, I haven't been this nervous since loading our Grace de Hermitage last year! But this is double pressure as next to load is one of the most sought after whites in the world – Condrieu made from the Viognier grape.

As soon as all was loaded and paperwork filled out it was time to head back to Bordeaux. Fingers crossed that the truck makes it safely, imagine if there was a crash! I think I should be able to drive the Chai car in front of the truck with the 'convoi exceptional’ rights!

Finally the wine is in the safe hands of Chai and I can relax. I am looking forward to trying a sample of the wines tonight with some good food!

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I finally left Castillon after the second day of the Grand Chai Bordeaux bottling was underway for the long but beautiful 6 hour drive across France

My destination: Tain l’Hermitage in the northern Rhone Valley.

Today I was on my way to the Rhone Valley to collect our new Chai Condrieu and Chai Côte Rôtie and bring them both safely to the Chai.

I started by firstly crossing diagonally through the Dordogne to join the A89 which takes you straight across the country and passing through the Limousin oak forests, Auvergne, Allier oak forests, skimming Clermont Ferrand and St. Etienne before turning south at Lyon and crossing the Rhone river before and down towards Valence, turning off at the village of Tain l'Hernitage and stopping in Tournon-Sur-Rhone. My accommodation for tonight is the old 'Le Chateau Hotel' opposite the infamous hill of Hermitage.

The weather was still a balmy 25 degrees at 8pm and during a walk down the Rhone riverside I suddenly stumbled across a sign pointing to the hidden 'Autrement' restaurant where a glass of cold white Crozes Hermitage and a beetroot and raspberry mise en bouche, aided by some classic Dire straits on in the background, was very welcome indeed!

Starter was a cocktail glass of frog’s thighs, carrot puree, topped with a garlic and parsley mousse and main was a superb onglet of veal (although chips were substandard and in dire need of a Castillon 'le Voyageur' lesson!) matched with one of my all time favourite wines made by Mathilde and Yves Gangloff's, their sublime, elegant and powerful 2006 'La Barbarine' Cote Rotie – nothing short of sheer brilliance in vine growing and winemaking. I just can't wait to get our Cote Rotie to the Chai (it’s too good to be true!). One of the best we've done, believe you me!

It is truly amazing how a glass of fine Rhone (or any good wine for that matter) can catapult you into such an incredible emotion and feeling, albeit more expensive but my advice is don't miss out on this experience, ever!

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Mini Grand Chai Bordeaux 2008

The bottling of the new 2008 Grand Chai Bordeaux got underway early this morning and we started off with some cute little half bottles.

Once everything was running smoothly it was back to the Chai to meet the welders who are now finishing the catwalks that enables us to access and work safely high up on the vat tops. Franck is quite an artist and has made lovely curved railings that fit lovely in with the rounded vats.

We are also racking the 2009 La Voute Chardonnay from Limoux at the Chai today. This is the first time it has been moved from barrel since way back last September. It’s so satisfying to at last taste all the individual barrels finally blended together. The wine has been quietly waiting and as soon as there is some movement, the Chai fills with an incredible aroma of tropical fruits!

The weather has been quite extraordinary today with 30 degree heat here in Castillon! The vines are lapping it up and the shoots are motoring upwards.

Quite a journey ahead tomorrow as I have a long drive right across central France to the northern part of the Rhône Valley to load our Chai Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu and transport it to the Chai!

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