As things speed up here (Gloucester Cellars now working 24 hrs) for me personally it's a bit of a whirl!

The 40th Show was a Wine Rave! Loved every minute of it. Just couldn't walk at the end! (Tired, I mean, nothing more!) Thanks and love to all there.

Don't know how we did it but at dawn the following day we were out in Wyfold vineyard again, helping Barbara and Cherry bring in their Chardonnay. 3 tons of it. Way up on last year. (Not to mention the '07 zero harvest). Tired?  Beyond tired. Zombie.

Monday heading in to a meeting with the whole buying team under London Bridge at Vinopolis but had to divert at Euston to Cumbria; (Mother unwell. But now happily improved). Back Wed for Board Meeting for 2 days, then Friday looking at possible new English vineyard sites with Thierry Lesne; our ex-flying winemaker chum from Champagne. He liked our chalk soils! He loved all the partridges and pheasants he saw. He'll be back.

Last night we had Barbara and Cherry's Vintage Supper in the barn for all or most of their unpaid helpers. All decorated with autumn red vine leaves and berries. Standing by the brazier it was the final, final, end of ends to vintage '09.

Tomorrow we fly to Sydney via Fiji where we are to spend a few days afloat with Barb and my great Aussie mentor; David Thomas. It'll be back to school. But in Fiji so who cares!  I don't know how communications work in the Pacific, anyway my Blackberry will be confiscated. So there may be some silence which Rob my web boss will fill with news from home.

Back soon!