Terror at Carlton Towers

Last night I spoke at an awards dinner for the Top 100 Private Companies with the fastest growing exports.

Terrifying.

Got no work done for two days trying to write a speech. I wanted to sound like a clever businessman. But found it impossible. Simon then suggested I confess to being a hopeless manager and leader (he was a bit too enthusiastic about that, I thought) and just tell some wine stories. What I'm good at.

At the last moment, looking at my script, Barbara suggested I bin it and just wing the thing … tell them why we had gone international and anything else that occurred. So I did.

We went International a) because after nearly 40 years, things here had got a bit too comfy and we needed a shock, and b) because we saw people in America and Australia picking up our ideas and doing very well. So I we knew it could work.

Certainly did liven things up here. When you send your best guys off to the old colonies those left behind have to pedal a whole lot harder. Which included me. I'm no longer worried about boredom, just being able to keep up.

With help from Thomas I choose the Dampt brothers Chablis Vielle Vignes '09 and Hunter's Pinot Noir to go with a main course of red mullet. Enabled me to tell the stories of two of our more remarkable wine families.

They clapped. So well done those winemakers. Thanks to B for giving me the confidence and also thanks to the customers at the event – especially the lovely lady helping run the event who sought me out to shake my hand and say that we were absolutely the most wonderful Company she had ever dealt with. Thanks. And keep it up, my lot … you have a lot of fans out there.

Messing about on the Kennet and Avon

Spent the weekend going up the Thames from Henley to Reading, then into the Kennet and Avon canal. Chris 'Narrowboat' Larkin saw me but don't think he recognised. Reading is much more attractive seen from the water. A couple of stretches and bridges positively Venetian.

Heckled going through the Oracle Centre but nothing actually thrown and soon after in the lush, overgrown, watery greenery of the Kennet. The water is clear, the reeds, water hyacinths, Iris and lilies abundant. In one part, the trees form a tunnel. The grebe, ducks, coots and moorhens are busy with nests or young. And unlike the Thames there is very little traffic. Just the odd narrow boater chugging slowly along. A happy breed. No big white plastic fantastics; they can't do the bridges.

Our little 'Lusi' looks very African Queen in the windy, jungly bits. Funny, but the most attractive parts are where you'd least expect them; by the sewage plant and behind warehouses. We picnic-ed simply with Laithwaite Sauvignon and a terrific Pinot Blanc from Bott-Geyl.

Eight locks to Sheffield lock, which is right near Theale HQ. Got there just before 5. So no good for commuting, then. We made it to Aldermaston only to find our planned pub for dinner shut two months ago. Got a lift on the A4. After such a slow day, cars and lorries appear to go terrifyingly fast. A good fish n' chips with Sunday Bay.

Back next day. All well till in Sonning lock when, with a big audience, she conks out!

So have to leave her by the lock. Get Ivan the Motor next morning and it was only a fuse I didn't know about. Trundle home to hectic Henley. The 'blades' have now taken over for regatta. Not safe to venture out for a week.

Henley

Saw the first rushes of our new TV ad featuring Mark Hoddy! Amazing. They combed his hair! Don't think that's been done for years. I can see why they dropped me for a younger man. He can walk and talk his lines at the same time. I never quite got the hang of that.

Trip report from buyer Becca

Becca Reeves. Trip to South Africa with Helen. (Becca delighted to be taking over Helen's responsibility for RSA; a country she loves).

The Short Version
(Shortened further with stuff on delicate negotiations removed by me, TL!)

Quite a long short report here - got a bit over-enthusiastic about everything! Here are the key things you absolutely HAVE to know:

2011 white harvest – patchy. Sauvignon hard hit. Care needed.
2011 red harvest – very promising.

Massive improvement in style and quality of Pinotage. Pricing broadly stable … Volumes aren’t a major issue – good position compared with other new world countries.

Top wines:

Flagstone
Cracking new vintage Stumble Vineyards Sauvignon and Pinotage and/or Malbec. Two delicious, more-unusual wines – a Touriga Franca Rosé and a Petit Verdot.

Bon Courage
Lovely new-vintage Gooseberry Bush – and plenty available!

Charles Back
The Back Road Petite Syrah 09 – my tasting note finished: “we MUST have this wine!”
New Six Hats Fairtrade Mourvedre

Klein Constantia
Klein Constantia Estate Cab Sauv 08 – Helen and I loved this wine SO much, we actually bought a bottle for ourselves … neither of us have ever done this before! I’m just not sure they have any stock for us to buy as a company …

Summary:
Sauvignon challenges! But generally massively exciting with huge potential to grow!

Becca going overboard with the exclamation marks. A few problems to sort but you can see the girl is quite excited.

I saw her just arrived back on Tuesday but to get her sign off, this piece is going to have to catch up with her in Chile. Hectic life, wine-buying.

Reception at Lafite

Vinexpo, the great biennial Wine Fair in Bordeaux is not so much an exhibition as an excuse for partying. The Wine Trade – all of it – comes here and can, of course, party pretty well. But a big, hot, mile-long shed, placed at the hub of all the worst traffic jams in Bordeaux is not the best place to party. It’s a good place to avoid.

Especially when for miles in almost every direction there are the loveliest wine châteaux in the world. The owners of these châteaux compete with each other for partying … as well as for Parker Points and prices. Some have the means to do it rather well.

And you are going to hate me. Last night I went to Lafite-Rothschild. Me, my boy Tom and nephew Andrew from our Sydney office. As Monsieur Ali our constant taximan drove us in late afternoon sun through gently rolling immaculate Médoc vineyards, past all the turreted and castellated wonders, like a drive through the most expensive wine list in the world. I swear the boys' lower jaws did drop.

We posed before Margaux, bowed towards Latour, gasped at Beychevelle and Palmer. And and and....






We arrived at Lafite and a beaming Baron Eric. We weren't first there. We thought we'd be fashionably late; we were second.

On the terrace lawns we scoffed perfect oysters and Spanish ham as well as little delicacies that just materialised before us. I got introduced as “our biggest customer in Britain” which surprised me but then the Baron has quite a lot of Domaines apart from Lafite … which our customers are enthusiastic about.

At dinner we had first his Aussieres. One sip of that took me right back to Narbonne last week. Then the Caro Malbec took me right back to Mendoza two months ago, and the Dix from Los Vascos similarly back to Chile. The fourth wine was Lafite '83! Thing was, the other wines were not eclipsed. It was perfectly fine to serve them alongside possibly the greatest wine in the world just now. £1000+ (a bottle!) The Baron and his team do things well.

Met old friends, made new. Clambered into M. Ali's taxi. Then … a bit of a blur, rushing about, and I'm back home in England reading that 65 year olds have had their wine allowances halved. Thud. Back to earth. I may emigrate.

Drinks at Duclot with Tonton

"Salon 1999 magnum, Lafite 1995, Margaux 2001, Mouton 1986, Cheval Blanc 2001, Petrus 1998, Haut Brion 2000, Latour 1990, Yquem 1997, ****, man! I'll buy a suit for you to come with me next time, I wish I could share this with you. Missing you, xxx Tonton".

Edited text from Jean-Marc to Mark as he staggered home from the sort of drinks party you get invited to in Bordeaux when Vinexpo is on.

J-MS hit the wrong button so I got it by mistake. He likes all his winemakers to call him 'tonton' (uncle) and is clearly fond of them.

I didn't need it; I was at the same bash … given by Duclot the finest negociant in Bordeaux who only handle top stuff – and top buyers of course. I was in a taxi home to Ste Colombe. Asleep.

Jean Moueix is only 28 and Managing Director of this House. His family owns Petrus. He knows how to put on a party. The room was three-quarters Oriental. And most of them were young, too. In fact I am sure I was the oldest. So this is what it’s like being a Grandfather.

Had got back from the Midi – get a better car, Mark, as well as a suit – and had a quiet day … until this evening. Bordeaux was 'en Fête' – not for the Wine Show (which the Bordelais hate as it screws the traffic for a week) – but for the River Show. Beautiful; the 'Belem' and other old sail ships lining the Quais and a right old party going on where you used to see just barrels and other freight being loaded. I really am old! Nice to see.

Jean and Olivier Berrouet, his Petrus winemaker, said they'd packed off their Dads and organised this 'young' event. We sat on high white stools at high white tables. Girls brought tiny dishes of tiny delicacies – I think the Chinese buyers liked this – and chaps poured decanter after decanter of perfect, priceless wines in pairs. We had to guess the wines and vintages. And not fall off our white stools.

I'm not saying how I did.

Pic St Loup to Cevennes

Up to the northern rim of the Midi where great white 'Pics' rear up sharply from the forests where the Cevennes begin. Another ancient wine region and another tough and testing area. Steep, high, rocky and unforgiving. Ordinary wine growers cannot - did not - survive here.

But winemakers with a passion, with unbreakable spirit, with brains, with a dream are drawn to such places. We love 'em. Up past St Martin de Londres, down narrow tracks, through the green oak forests we find Martin Orliac; fourth son of Jean & Marie Therese. And a winery built of wood! Like so many in California and Oregon! But France? Unique as far as I know.

Back in the Sixties Martin's father Jean was an agronomist at Montpellier University. He got the urge to put theory into practice when, tramping these wild crags and woods, he found these recently abandoned vineyards and olive groves.

They planted immaculately tended rows of Syrah. Then other varieties, built the winery and gradually built up a cult following of the faithful across France. Most of their wine is sold to people prepared to find their way to this remote spot.

We get some because of 'family'. Jean-Marc's delightful niece Sylvie (of Chateau Thieuly, Bordeaux) is now married to Jean-François, the eldest Orliac boy.

Tasting with
Martin Orliac








The wine we get from them is called Dolines de l'Hortus. Up here in this rocky limestone land (karst scenery if there are any geographers here) you get these green bowls where the ground has caved-in due to caverns collapsing below. Sediment has accumulated and things – like vines – can grow. Called 'Dolines'. Fascinating, eh? Things you learn with us.

The family, bar Martin, have decamped to Bordeaux for the Big Show tomorrow (Vinexpo) and indeed we must now set off for the same place in Mark's Chai van, the 'Popemobile'. Not really looking forward to the drive. But it was a great trip. I am a lucky old swine, aren't I? Share my job satisfaction. Buy the case of the trip. And maybe catch the Flybe to Perpignan.

Carcassonne to Narbonne

Today's first visit left us speechless. So best perhaps leave it at that.

Secondly we met up with Hervé and Laurent at the little cellar where we buy a Merlot called Domaine Ginestieres which we are lucky enough to have specially made for us by Claude Gros. Robert Parker has scored I don't know how many Claude Gros wines and meets with up with him every year for half a day; an honour accorded to very few, anywhere. Jancis Robinson has called him the 'Chameleon Winemaker'. I think I know what you mean, Jancis.

Gros likes to blend into the background … not a big chap, quiet, self effacing. Bounces in. Trainers, dress-down, haversack. Quick taste, chat, photo opp. Bounces out again. Has to keep moving; the number of clients he has. Consults all over. Here – his home territory – Bordeaux, Burgundy. They say he is the new Michel Rolland (Wine Consultant to the Stars, now getting on a bit). Some would contest that, but Claude is certainly always with the leading runners.

His wine for us is just superb. I hope people take the time to appreciate it. Good Midi wines for me are full of vibrancy, life, flavour, zest and charm. But what Jean adds (like Jean-Marc and Mark) is polish and poise. Like little wine couturiers dressing their pretty girls! Oh my! Pseuds Corner here we come. It’s late at night.

How to see if you agree? Try drinking the Ginestieres (turn to pages 4 & 5 in this month’s list, it’s in The Summer Case 2011) on its own as an aperitif. Most reds, that's not fun. You need the beef with. Some lighter Beaulolais type fruity things, yes. But this is not light and fruity. This is a proper full red, but its smooth creamy elegance (now, not in x year's time) makes this a delight to drink … on its own.

Hervé and Laurent's 11th Century office is in Château Prat de Cest - what was a fortress on the old Roman road from Spain, just south of Narbonne. Not a bad address. We tasted so much lovely stuff there it’s all a bit of a blur. I'll have to get Cat to remind me.

H and L ... and good old Andrée (or Madame F as we now call her) continue the way we have always worked here, in what is the largest wine region in the world … and possibly the most underestimated. 40 years now we have scoured these rugged hills for what Hervé calls "les petits cuvées qui vont bien".

We have a label called 'L'Epervier' - the Sparrow Hawk. Named because of the way our agents must hover tirelessly over this area looks for choice tidbits. Les petits cuves qui vont bien. Is exactly it. Amazing little finds. Always way cheaper than anything comparable elsewhere in France.

Here, we don't so much have long affiliations with the same chateaux. Some, not many. Costs too much. Instead our agents search and search until "Bingo!" … we find one. Be it in a little co-op, an estate or a garage under his house like Jean Charles. I love working this way. Very exciting.

But here we are now, after dark, sitting out under the pine trees eating fish from the lagoon at a little place called 'Souquet's' (run, just in Summer, by the guys who have 'Le Petit Comptoir'; best place to eat in Narbonne). It’s up a very long, narrow and rutted track. I would guess plenty would-be diners give up halfway and turn round thinking they must be lost!

We are on La Clape. (Pron. 'Clap'). The little rocky plateau between Narbonne and the sea that was an island in Roman times. I used to sell huge amounts from up here. Mostly to doctors for some reason. Château de Pech Redon. Any customer who's been around over 23 years will remember Pech Redon. Jean Demolombe! What a man! All those wives. All those wines. Lived life at such a speed and died so sadly. And bravely. I've never been up to the great house since. Pech Redon is still made. Still quite good, apparently, but without Jean … can't do it. Must be just over ridge from where I'm sitting though.

Anyway, here we are with Andrée who carries on Jean's good work. And Hervé, who is just as wickedly witty as he was. Under the stars with the aromas of the warm pines, the sage, rosemary, thyme, growing all around and the woodsmoke … one of life's better moments.

There’s something about Maury

For someone who doesn't actually drink a lot I seem to be good at giving the impression I do. More posing in vineyards glass in hand today. I do so much of this I expect the Priory have had me pencilled in for a long time.

Today it’s the vineyards where we get our 'XV'. Mark - also glass in hand - is talking to camera. I'm looking at the 'soil' here. Just fragments of slate and schist. Mark says in olden times winegrowers tending their vines here always carried a hammer. If they saw a rock … they'd whack it! The shattered remains are what is now the 'soil'.

It’s still hard work, here. This morning, at 4 or 5 as soon as there was light, I got woken; the tractors were out. By noon it’s too hot.

The President of the cellar here is a lovely, gentle man who says little and looks too slight to cope with vineyards. Yet he's well-known as 'the President who doesn't have a tractor'. He has 14 hectares and does it all on foot! Respect!

Bright sun now at 11am. Wind getting up. Always windy here … fair whistles down the Agly valley. This is the Vent du Folie. Drives people mad.

The side of the valley, a 500 metre high great limestone cliff, is to the north of me. On the baking scree at its base are some of Mark's vineyards. He is plain mad! You can't possibly grow more that a glassful per vine there. And you'd need crampons.

Justin took us to his vineyards this morning. He and Amanda came here on holiday 8 years ago, drank a bottle of wine made by this scruffy wine-stained guy (Mark) in a shed and decided they'd like to do the same. So bought a few acres of really old vines.


So our Wine Director - a Master of Wine - chose Maury a where he wanted to make his own wine. And our Chai Winemaker still has 14 hectares here.

Several of the world’s best winemakers have also bought vines here. Says something about Maury. And to think that when I first saw and fell for this valley, I was devastated to find there was no wine here to buy! Sure, there were ancient vineyards but all they made then was VDN - Vin Doux Naturel which is, despite its name, not a 'natural' wine but has added brandy. It’s the original 'Port'. They made so much money with VDN they no longer made straight wine. But it was older folk who drank VDN and eventually that market more or less vanished. With much hardship. Whole villages went bankrupt. E.g. Opoul.

So. They went back to making unfortified reds and well, it’s gone very well.

Hervé collects us to visit his old vineyards nearby at the village of La Tour de France which produce our Cabalié. On granite rather than schist if you're interested. Gives a rich rounder wine. And the Romans are supposed to have liked it.

Vineyard has a nice 'Casot'; vigneron’s hut. When I was young I used to dream of buying one of these to camp in on my trips.

Then it’s a long drive west up the valley and across to the cooler, greener region of Limoux; a very important place in the history of Laithwaites . It was here in this sparkling wine town where we got them to let us - as an experiment - make a still chardonnay. It was a huge success. Flying Winemaker Chardonnay. Now they make loads of it themselves.

But our 'La Voute' successor to that FW wine – fruit from here but made in our 'Chai OK' is altogether finer.

Roche Lacour is our main wine here. They've made it for us since the Seventies I think. Has never lost its spot as our top selling fizz.

After tastings and vineyard visits wearily we roll along to Carcassone, them to carry on chatting, me to crash out. No, can't miss la Cité, can I? Keep going Laithwaite.

Visiting Tautavel - the most stunning wine scenery in France

With the VX team in the XV vineyard. Cellar director and President, Andrée (who first created the wine with me back in...can't remember when ..long time), Justin, Cat and Mark being filmed.


9am Flybe Southampton to Perpignan. 28C. Justin drives us to Tautavel in the high valley that links Roussillon to Corbières. The most stunning wine scenery in France for me.

Google Earth it.

I'm going to try organising some arrangement where customers can come here on a cheap flight/car hire deal. They then drive around half a dozen of our suppliers and by waving a little card be welcomed like long lost brothers or sisters. The scenery is stunning, as I say, plus it’s not overrun with tourists. They stay on the coast, mostly. Stay at gites like where I am now, eat at the unpretentious bars we use like La Placette (or the very pretentious new restaurant in Maury, if that suits).

Five or six visits then back on the plane … wonderful sort of secret short break.

Katie Jones came here on holiday 22 years ago. Met a nice vigneron. Been here ever since. She's a great guide.

And makes a nice wine; Domaine Jones. Welsh Roussillon. We have some.

Mark Hoddy our winemaker still has vines here. And Justin, our MW, also. Quite a few wine people from outside – Bordeaux, the US – are moving in. Even young Thunevin who has his place in Castillon, just down from Le Chai au Quai.

Why such interest?

Because it’s stunning, the vines are affordable and the potential looks v good … once more people get to know about it.

Solution is more people must come and fall in love. With this place. It’s hard to sell the wines from here. I know. Been managing to do it for exactly 40 years. Just. Nothing wrong with the wines. And prices are great, but somehow they don't take off like they should. The people here still struggle to make a living from wine. But if more people just came and saw …

Our new wine 'Vive l'Evolution' coming September from Tautavel shows man evolving from Homo Erectus – quiet at the back – to Homo Winedrinkus in a mere 450,000 years. Which he did round here. The vineyards here are full of stone arrowheads. The wine growers of Tautavel enact this ascent of man thing for us. Funny bunch. So hospitable! Yesterday they hosted a group of Glasgow barmen … that IS brave.

Their wines are good. Very good. But it’s been many years since we bought here.

This steep sided valley is only about 5k from Opoul – for crows, much more for men – where we used to buy masses until they went bust. As I said, hard here. Ex- President Thibeaudau of the Opoul cellar and his two big sons (we still have this photo on our office wall of the 3 of them in scrum front row stance) now bring their grapes here.

This cellar works with Gerard Bertrand - a Big Man round here … ex Rugby International. He is determined to build its reputation. I bought wine from his dad … 'Cuvée Georges Bertrand' . Long ago. Gerard usually gets what he wants.

And over the opposite ridge lies little Embres where I bought wine from Bernard Pueyo. Cuvee Pompadour. Lovely wine from a great bearded Neanderthal, but the first man to get on a map every plot of vines in his village – soil analysis, vine age, everything. This allowed him to sort out good from bad and get more money for the good growers, who struggle most, with the steepest and oldest vineyards. Others do this now. Tautavel do. And the wine is just amazingly better for it.

But they struggle. The 'Crise' has hit them hard. Mostly the wives have had to leave their farms to get jobs in town. But that's agriculture for you. But there's recompense living here. Stunning place.

Dinner with Jean Charles who grows what Mark buys and raises as Vent de Folie. Was snails barbecued by his Dad, eaten straight off the coals with some aioli. And sausages with a big sort of pie of cold vegetables that works very well here in the heat:

'Escalibade' – bake or grill lots of aubergines, tomatoes, onions, peppers, courgettes in oven then layer them into a big dish and souse with olive oil with scattereing of fresh parsley and raw chopped garlic. Serve cold.

Shippy the more-or-less spaniel likes my sausage too much.

Staying at the Mas d'en Simon run by Jeremy and Lisa Ancock. You should come and stay. They've done it so beautifully. Lost in the vines. Pool and ping pong. Very comfy bed, full moon out there. What more can you want? Sleeps.

I've just been on holiday, reading The Papers …

… and clearly, as far as The Press is concerned, there are two wine markets.

One market that gets reported is deciding whether it goes from £600 a bottle to £1000 this year … or maybe just a modest £800.

The other wine market that is 'news' is trying to work out how it can beat up producers into reducing prices by yet more in the supermarket game … of basically getting the price of wine down below the price of water.

Both these markets are mad. Stark raving bonkers loony mad … and they’re the world we live in today.

In between the two extremes is wine's 'third world.’ The one I adore, of sensible, hard working wine people. A world populated virtually entirely by the sort of decent folk who choose the gentle- countryfolk world of wine as their career, rather than the rougher but more profitable worlds.

Currently we wine people are very worried about the newsworthy extremist ends of our world, top and bottom. We don't like them or understand them. We don't know what to do except just carry on and hope there are enough sensible, normal people left on the planet for us and our world to survive.

If not, the wine world will soon comprise just the manicured ego-castles of very rich men and vast prairies of robotic grape fields (for as long as they bother to use grapes, that is).

Perhaps its time I got back to work.

Further reading ...

Still on hols! But see this latest blog from Cousin Andrew who runs the wines for our sister Australian wine outfit 'Wine People'.

Dalemain Food and Wine Show

Over to Dalemain – north end of Ullswater – for our biennial show. Rain held off almost to the end. Probably my favourite wine event. Deep in remote beautiful countryside yet looked like about 700 came. Such enthusiasm. So many compliments for our staff … not me … just our staff!

The new 2010 Domaine Rieste was my showstopper … never got that much 'Sauvignon' flavour from a little Gascon inexpensive white before … and it’s not even Sauvignon - mostly Colombard. Jane's garden a treat.

Stocked up on local organic meat and cheeses while there. I do think wine and food shows are more fun that just wine alone.

Thank you staff and customers; a lovely day out!

Back to Coniston. The Bluebird cafe has reopened after the floods and is now doing dinners beside the Water. Very pleasant.

Just a couple days’ hols left. Looking forward to getting back now.

Employee of the month!

Nearly at Birmingham, B says did I pack my pills? Ah! So finally get to Coniston at 2 am. Very glad to be on hols. My mind was obviously going ... and I was also beginning to gibber like a monkey. Everything so busy. Need to calm down.

Wish I could get back to practising yoga. That was good. But seems impossible. Instead, taking a little wine - very good wine, proper wine; made by someone with yoga-type empathy with their land, someone with traditional skills and plenty love - can have a not dissimilar effect if drunk very sl-o-o-o-wly ... and very moderately!

So for the next few days reflections on wines - beside a lake or up a hill - is all I can do. Plus I'll send on any interesting bits I get from the buyers and the advisors.

My Max will gossip around for stuff (a major talent she has) for me to tell. Her daughter just won our 'Employee of the Month' so she needn't mention that. Again.

Crowning glories …

Barbara, Anne and I drove over to Windsor Great Park to see how the vineyard is getting on. Been planted a fortnight now. Sunny day. The Crown Estate have laid us a proper access road of re-cycled tarmac which is a nice surprise. In winter the farm track to the top of the vineyard would have been a bit tricky.

Their fencing is immaculate. Six foot deer fencing with buried rabbit netting below. The little devils have already been trying to break in. There are plenty of abandoned attempts at digging under. The old wooden huts at the top of the hill have been placed out of bounds because they are actively falling down. Rabbits?

But we are to have a meeting to see if we can't save them; they just seem so 'right' where they are on the crest of the hill. From them the vine rows run due south down the hill to the little lake at the bottom. Today the rows consist of almost invisible posies of tiny green leaves every couple of feet in the bare earth between the tractor tracks.

Six large ducks of an unfamiliar breed are wandering around down at the bottom. This has been worrying me. So many waterfowl here. Fences can't keep them out. They fly off as I head towards them. I can see where they have been but thankfully there is no sign of them attacking the babyvines. Relief! We have ducks and geese at home and they are very destructive of any green plants. I think we must resign ourselves to
putting the plastic tree guards on next week. Don't look pretty but I shudder to think what a mess a flock of Canada geese could make of this lovely vineyard.

It really is a magical spot. Just being in this little valley with only the waterbirds is soothing. Took a couple of panoramas. We go off to the Parkinson family's 'pub' at Paley Street ... very good food and a huge and adventurous wine list. Sir has moved on from the days he would come to my Arch at Windsor ... always for his 'usuals' - Chateau de Pannisseau Bergerac white and Bergerac Red from St Laurent des Vignes.

Later B and I pay a visit to Eleanor and her parents. Realise that because of this tiny new person the centre of gravity of our family has just shifted. And a very good thing too.

Hello Eleanor Laithwaite!

What a month that was! With the planting of what everyone seems to be calling the 'Royal Vineyard' at Windsor (actually we are the tenants of the Royal Farms who farm much of Windsor Great Park, one of the jewels of the Crown Estate), with the Castillon Claret Cargo By Sail from Bordeaux, with the 400+ show awards in London (Golds for Jean-Marc and Henry) with Simon's 'Man of the Year' and the others which I have banged on about plenty already now, (and will some more, I fear) … all that pales now when we finally meet … our girl.

Yesterday we went back to the dear old Maternity at Royal Berks. 30 years ago we were there, me kind of hoping for a little girl, with the name 'Eleanor' (from Aquitaine) ready and waiting but getting our Henry. Then his brothers. No complaints there; very proud of my good boys. But now H and Kaye have given us a girl at last. My cup REALLY overfloweth. Thank you. Thank you.