Up early to use car before Henry uses it to tow trailer of vine stakes up the hill.

He has 80 vines to plant - replacements - very quickly; planting season's virtually over.

To St Genes for bread and ham. The shop is stunning. Worth all the far too much money we spent on that building. Historical Note: To stop our dear local shop disappearing when the Guimberteau's retired the Laithwaite family agreed to buy and do up the premises. That was in the days when the £ was worth something. We forgot the basic rule of buying currency forward. So it has been very painful.

But the feisty little Anne-Marie, who took on the shop, has cracked the whip all winter and the decrepit barn next door is now an immaculate space - high, with tall windows, like a church! All in warm honey-coloured stone. Quite a shop! And busy! Our daughter-in-law Kaye works there on the till. That's one helluva crash course in learning French-as-she-is-spoke! She now knows what 'Cloppes' are (cigarettes). And 'Vin Cuit'.

In July, Anne-Marie will open a Cave à Vins featuring all the best Cotes-de-Castillons at cellar-door prices. And there'll be tables for lunch amongst the stacks of cases. Anyone thinking of visiting Saint Emilion this summer should try Saint Genes (pron. Jeu-ness) first and save a fortune. La Clarière-Laithwaite will be sold there of course. Who needs anything else?

Down to Le Chai au Quai. Watched the bottling of the Maury VDN and got Mark to let me try a couple of their new arrivals. Mark looking very bright-eyed and fighting fit. Has to be. Off tomorrow to Hermitage, to supervise very closely the wine we bought there. Constant vigilance is necessary.

Lunch outside in warm sun - first time this year. Alfie being a good puppy. Maybe sunshine calms him. Quick chat with Claudy about the State of France. Not good says the 'Maire'. Wine growers just hate having a teetotal President.