Seems ages since Christmas Eve.

Our delivery people worked until 10pm on Christmas Eve to clear as much of the snow backlog as possible. It’s their first day back today.

We were open Boxing Day. Customer services were in on Monday. But not many people in Theale this week.

Me, I headed north to join the family after being useful labelling bottles at Will's brewery. He had a great last minute rush, but then he just sells draught Abingdon Bridge... For immediate consumption.

Bit of a social club at Loose Cannon.. Caleb's Dad playing piano. Will's mates all dropping in. Blokes do so like a shed. And Will's shed has a brewery in it. Perfect! Though on the cool side. All doors open. Warmest place was the insulated 'cool room'.

Up here we had a Christmas Day drink on the island, and saw skaters down at the South Pole, yes, Coniston Water is part frozen!

Everyone else has gone back south now. Sitting, nursing a cold with lots of hot toddy, watching the woodpecker and friends enjoying all the leftovers on their table. And watching the cricket. Again and again and again..

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My sincere thanks for your custom and a heartfelt wish for a good Christmas go to all our customers everywhere.

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Yesterday I became an OAP.

No big celebrations I said. Spent the day delivering things around Oxfordshire. I am not accepting that anything's changed.

The family did me proud later. We only drank the wines of old friends. Which always taste best.

An extraordinarily minty McLaren Vale magnum from Phil Christiansen - the Godfather of Red Heads - was the star. Don't know exactly what it was; the label just had a pattern of turtles, no words. A very early Philbo!

An even older magnum of Andre Roux Rhone - can't remember what that was either as she's thrown away the bottle. A bottle of Hugh Johnson's Furmint and another of Tokay 5 putts rounded it off.

And the Company got me a couple of bottles of 1945 Rivesaltes. To round off our Christmas.

Stocked up at Jo Fielder's wonderful Theale Farm Shop. Wonderful food served by lovely girls. Just what a pensioner needs.

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Loved this photo Lucy Pope took ..

..next door to Le Chai au Quai in the 'Parc de Pétanque' (boules piste) last week.

We think the caption should be;

"Castillon's Old Man Recycling Centre".

Or.... "Photo of the Castillon's recycling centre where as well as bottles and paper they now do men".

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Crooked Billet.

It snow laughing matter this weather. Sorry. But last night we did make it through the white blanketed scary Wild Wood to see Ben Waters playing up at The Crooked Billet, Stoke Row. My birthday treat.

Paul Clerehugh does the best food in these parts and also has the most amazing little black book of old rockers who should by rights be dead... but are still bloody good in his small pub.

Google 'Ben Waters' if you like Boogie Woogie piano. He is not old but IS amazing. Looks like Peter Kay and does fool around a lot but sure can do BW; unbelievably fast fingers .... and Jerry Lee Lewis – even to the playing with both hands and one foot. Didn't actually set his keyboard alight, just ripped it up.

I was born to the sounds of Winifred Attwell, 'Cross Hands Boogie' etc on scratched '78's. And then there was my favourite teacher who survived a very rough class by bribing us with a couple of boogies if we behaved.

We did last night. Entranced. Ben drinks Malbec, the glass bouncing along his keyboard. But never spilling. A real pro.

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Ships and shops

Yesterday we discussed our plans for sailing the 09 vintage Castillon. And I really mean 'sailing'. But it's all secret so I can't possibly say more.

Our shops seem extra busy. It's the weather. Eddy at Theale has laid in so much stock you can barely get in the door. Doesn't trust the weather, Eddy.

Claire Lou at Windsor is wearing antlers with bells on. But will that really help in the snow?

Solihull's answer to the cold was to set fire to the shop. Back to normal now, thankfully. Think of something else, chaps.

Every shop says the customers are really tasting very hard this year. I think it's wonderful to see such dedication. After all, it's very important to get exactly the right Christmas wines.

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How international can wine get?

Peter and Suzy Vinding Diers passed through London yesterday. Arriving from south-east Sicily where they have their new vineyard in the most southerly region of Europe. Departing now for Christmas in Patagonia where their son Hans makes wine. As far south as you can go.

Peter - who is Danish - also works in Hungary making Tokay Essencia that rarest of all Tokays - so rich in sugar it does not actually ferment. Somewhat expensive.

Took them to Joel Rebuchon's Atelier. West Street, told the wine waiter Peter was a great winemaker so we needed a good bottle. That led to a conversation which revealed that the wine waiter came from the village of Tarcal where Peter makes his Tokay. Small world; wine.

I met Peter 30 years ago in Bordeaux where he taught me how to make wine at La Clariere and I sold a lot of his great wine. Maybe I could again. He still looks fit and hasn't lost the passion.

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Whilst our cellars are moving at a speed not seen before...

...we have to admit that out in the snowier parts of the UK things are not going as normal. The snow has blocked off parts of Scotland and the North East.

We looked at hiring 4x4's to get through but that was unworkable. However we believe that - further blizzards permitting - we will get all the wine through.

Can I assure everyone that there isn't a single person here at Laithwaites who is not doing their utmost. And our Carriers are all on 24 hour/7day working.

No need to call, we know where everything is and we will call you if there is a serious problem.

Christmas is coming, the Geese have all got fat.

So it’s out to the pens this dark and freezing early morn to get them off to Debbie the farmer’s wife who... does the business. The birds have no intention of going without a fight. They know. The old ones have told them what happens when humans start cutting holly and ivy.

This year's flock who were so sweet when they arrived (see photos), yellow and fluffy, and thinking I was their mummy, have turned out more aggressive than any I have ever known. And we've reared geese for 30 years. I end up with the usual peck bruises on arms, plus... a bloody nose!

The problem is we have sixteen but we have to separate out the old 'parenting' birds. Old grey granny; no problem, the others are all white. But there's still the 'Dad' and 'Mum', or 'John' and 'Eileen' as Lee calls them, to separate out and keep, to adopt again next spring. Unfortunately, during the year they've both managed to get rid of their rings so it’s not easy to tell them apart from the others.

With Lee constantly leaping to the roof because he's so worried they'll peck off bits he is keen on keeping, it’s left to old me to wade in and pull out likely candidates. They don't like this.

We got old John, we are pretty sure as he is bloody massive. And his honk is distinctive. Honking a lot, now.

But could we find dear Eileen? Not for sure. So she's gone off with the young 'uns and we just hope the more professional Debbie can pick her out before it’s too late. Lee very worried. Very fond of gentle Eileen.

There is a slight chance one of our friends might get a tough bird this Christmas.

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Gloucestershire. Oxford.

Day off. Got most generously invited to The Races... in some style. New experience... getting to Jonjo O'Neill's yard at eight to be taken by him to watch the strings of horses doing their gallops. The real A.P. (Tony) McCoy on one of them!

Keeping up is easy... in a car, alongside. The horses cruise up their rubber track but we are touching 30 mph. And it’s up a hill that would make me blow a bit just walking.

Beautiful breakfast - bacon buns for us - oats for them I guess. But those cosseted animals walk on rubber surfaces, take dips in their pool and dry off under sun-lamps. Get massaged, stroked and fussed over all day. "Just do what you can to keep them healthy unhurt and happy. Then maybe, if they feel like it, they might win".

A.P. - who looks so hungry - says he wouldn't mind coming back as a racehorse. Jonjo and Jacqui certainly keep us happy - on good Laithwaites Champagne and more bacon buns. They are excellent customers and lovely people.

Cheltenham looks fabulous from the box of 'JP'; J,P. McManus, no less, but even with all his and Mick Fitzpatrick's unrivalled knowledge to help, my 'picks' fare even worse than usual; not only losing, but falling over - all of them. Laithwaite the Jinx.

But we are at least drinking that Condrieu we raised at Le Chai; a proper thoroughbred of a wine, seemingly enjoyed by all the owners, ex-jockeys, and trainers having lunch today.... but it’s hard to tell.

Wonderful to find there is another world where they are just as crazy and obsessed as in my world. Just don't ask racing folk to pay attention to even the greatest wine when there are horses running.

Leave the jollity to rush to Oxford, to the Cathedral, another kind invitation; to their 'Celebration of Christmas'. With Schola Cantorum of Oxford, trumpeters, harpist, some notable actors and the Bishop.... all in aid of Macmillan Nurses. Fabulous music in a stunning building - even when stuck behind a screen it can't fail to move you.

The Bishop has a handshake that could bend steel; best to donate generously.

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Theale

This will be of limited interest to most of the UK but yesterday I rediscovered the great new Farm Shop between Theale and Pangbourne. And I was really delighted to be shown round by Anne who used to run our Wine Bar in Theale.

I still miss the old Wine Bar - it was my office really, an office with coffee, wine and food on tap, and a very entertaining clientele - but.. it had to go. It was a far too expensive office.

But as a total enthusiast for farm shops I'll be calling into Fielders shop regularly.

If Anne just starts serving coffee too...

The local beef is so local much of it was stood in the field next door giving us funny looks. So a touch of guilt, but what a wonderful piece of Sirloin last night.

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I got a response to my request for feedback on whether my video/slideshows were worth watching

Just the one response. But it was favourable. Thanks Robin in Edinburgh. Its a start. I am encouraged to keep trying to talk to cameras. But Oz Clarke can relax. For a while anyway.

Anyway, just for Robin, here's a few more.

It continues to be extraordinarily busy here.

Wines of Chile

Wines of the Rhône

Wines of Italy

Today, record new messages for the answerphone.

We are not a Company that goes in for "Press 1 to wait an hour", "press 2 to listen to appalling music", "press 3 to hear a machine tell you how much we value your call", etc. No, we almost always reply to phones the old way with real live human voices. So much nicer.

However, when the snow comes along.... and comes along during the busiest dispatch week of the year - something that's never happened before - it’s fairly difficult for us all to cope with the increase of worried enquiries. So.. My apologies get recorded!

Phone up now and you'll likely hear me just asking for a bit of patience. We have as many people answering phones as we have desks for them to sit at. We have all the information. It might be hard to believe when you have no snow that a depot ten miles away is snowed-in (or was snowed-in and is frantically trying to clear the backlog)... but... it’s true! Our carriers are good lads and I respect them.

A thaw is on the way they say. We can all drink to that.

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Am staying in, writing...

...warm, looking out at the white landscape. Admiration for all those battling through out there. Including the drivers carrying our cases to customers. The company we mostly use just renamed itself 'Yodel'. Well, if they get the cases through - and they will - don't care what they sound like.

Can I have some feedback please?

Following my acclaimed performance on the telephone answering service - you have to start somewhere - and that TV ad which seems to have everyone in stitches (I can't see why), I have now recorded some words for the web to go with slideshows of the wine countries we import from.
Question is should I persist with this late career change or just stick to the writing?

Let me know. Here are 3 links.

Wines of France

Wines of Australia

Wines of Portugal

The rush is on

Glos cellars gone to warp speed. Which is quite a sight to behold. But they are a mad lot. Today in fancy dress they are doing it. Young people eh?

In Cheltenham on other business, we called in on the Laithwaites tasting at the Pump Room last night. Noisy and enthusiastic. We now encourage our volunteers manning the stands to choose the wines THEY want to show. So you are now seeing normally quiet, reserved young chaps getting all passionate and excited... waving arms about....almost becoming French. It’s a good move.

I did a solo stand-up performance at Virginia Water shop the night before. Such a quiet audience, there. Enthusiastic but quiet. They overdid the respectful listening. So I overran by an hour. (I can talk about wine nonstop for days if allowed...world class winebore, me).

Just a smattering of snow. Wasn't I lucky I'd done Orpington the week before? Be stuck in a snowdrift this week.

Henry's Bordeaux trip was a nightmare. Gatwick shut, Southampton shut, so decides to drive .. And the Eurostar gets stuck in The Tunnel!

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The Arch

Cold! Discover that the Arch is actually open to the elements at the top. We are doing something about that urgently! Nonetheless a good day with two English journalists and one French. Interview in French for French Radio London. Of course London has the fourth or fifth largest French population in the world... (there is a little dispute with Lille)... So it is a good Idea to get any of nos amis who may be homesick to come to The Arch for a taste of home. There are several hundred.

Did some posing - do a lot of that, I do - for the photographer for the Eurostar Magazine. He was Hungarian and was remembering happy childhood around his dad's little wine cellar.

I've often banged on about the Hungarian ' vineyards for all' idea. It’s one of the greatest ideas on the planet for a happy life.

A bit like allotments. Just much better.

Everyone can - and even could under Communism - have an acre of vines AND a little cellar. Often underneath.

So as you drive though Hungary you'll see what look like villages of miniature houses. Each, just one tiny room... with a vaulted barrel-lined tunnel running behind underneath the vines. Adrian remembered how his Dad loved to escape home for a day tending his vines, his barrels and ... of course, having a lot of extremely necessary tastings with the neighbours. Beats an allotment. “Vineyards for All!” I say.

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