Floating from vineyard to vineyard with a few Laithwaites customers floating along with us

This month we've been in the vineyards … the easy way and the hard way. First up, the easy way. Barbara and I joined 130 customers on a wine cruise to Corsica, Sardinia, Tuscany, Elba, Cinque Terre, Monaco and Provence. As chairman I HAVE to go! (Not that I am complaining!). It's not exactly the most arduous job, floating from vineyard to vineyard with Laithwaites customers floating happily along with us.

The 'Star Clipper' is the tallest ever 'Tall Ship' and, under full sail, simply gorgeous to behold. Especially gazing up from a deck chair as the mistral or Maltamme or something sends you scudding along. Lying there with a chilled glass of Vermentino in hand! You suspect it was not maybe like this in the days of sail. Joseph Conrad's books have few mentions of chilled wine or deck-chairs..

We met up with our wine producer friends in every port. Noisy tastings, but thorough! The unanimous consensus was that Mediterranean wines are now really, really good, exciting and well worth a look. The Vermentino's especially were a big hit. This clever grape copes with the blazing heat to produce delicious dry whites in a variety of regional styles.

Wine buffs talk about 'Old World' and 'New World' wines. But maybe its time everyone took a fresh look at the wines of the 'Ancient World'; where it all started 5000 years or so ago; all around the Mediterranean shores.

The first Cruise we ever did, with wine scribe Hugh Johnson along for the ride, was back in 1975! Great trip. Eastern Med. Hugh joined us again this time and we both agreed that the wines are so much better now!

There are new high-tech wineries. But they are not always necessary. Wandering around on Elba wine syphoned straight from the cask with a piece of rubber tube was perfectly delicious sipping under the pergola with the ham, the cheese and the figs.

It was hot. And had been for months. The Merlot vineyard where we tasted with a whole bunch of Tuscans under an awning overlooking the sea in the Maremma district of southern Tuscany was all ready to harvest - and that was the first week in August! (Our Bordeaux Merlot is usually first week in October! )

Such a crazy year; back home in Oxfordshire, Barbara's grapes are still tiny, green and hard. We don't think there's much hope of them ripening...ever! But in Italy most places are at least a whole month ahead of normal.

On the subject of unusual weather, the team at our new Gloucester warehouse have had a bit of a time of it. Don't worry, no bottles floating away … we were out of reach of the floods, but we did end up having no water for a day or two! Several of our Gloucester lot did have flooded homes themselves. But still they came in to pack orders. Isn't that amazing? They are a great bunch! We put on a party in nice gardens for them. It poured, of course!

Next port of call: Bordeaux. The hard bit. Off to tend the vineyards. Can’t help feeling it should have been the other way round … Hugh and I found the most wonderful shed - or shanty - winery but the cold white-gold-green