A hundred and fifty came to Bordeaux for the 40th Party.

Many familiar faces and many new ones. The weather was not kind. But as usual the bonhomie increased in proportion with the rain.

We'd picked Chateau Talbot in St. Julien as the start point for this Anglo-French wine-love-in. John Talbot led the English army into the final battle of the Hundred Years War in err ... 14 something or other. Unfortunately he lost the battle and we lost Aquitaine, but then he was 70 and not allowed to carry a sword. (Health 'n Safety been going longer than we think?)

We raised a toast to a portrait of the old guy anyway. The Chateau have just opened this new Salle de Receptions and we were first in. Not only that, they dug out several jeroboams of their 1969 which was ridiculously generous. Things got v. jolly at that point but I think we left the place as we found it.

Barbara and I had to scoot off early to rescue Henry broken down on the Autoroute. Why he bought such an old car I cannot understand. Cars are not like wines. They don't get better.