Spring is well on here. It's been hot. Now it's cool and drizzling but the smell of the earth and that new growth really quickens the blood. The vines all have bright green hats. The cuckoo is going nonstop and the turtle-doves are getting excited, and everything else seems happy.
We got to the Castillon nursery early and bought all our baby tomato, courgette, pumpkin, pepper, chili, aubergine plants. Also the petunias geraniums and begonias. We almost beat the rush. You could get trampled; terrifying hordes of well-built mesdames who need their plants NOW. "C'est un Bordel, Ici" shouts one, like it was my fault!
Escape and on to the Chai au Quai.
In full transformation. About eight noisy carpenters and plasterers. Plus the old owner; Jean-Pierre having a sneak. What we now call the 'Dordogne Chai' is getting to look as good as the original 'Grand Chai'.
In between the two great halls we will soon have Jean-Marc and Mark's 'Atelier' where they will blend and sip all day creating their masterpieces. Good life, eh? No, the work rate is very high here as Mark makes clear in his Blogs.
There will also be the Keyholders room, warmer and more comfortable than before. Don't go now though. It's a tip.
What was a dark, dusty and scary upstairs (you could clearly see through the old floorboards) is now a vast light, bright and airy loft. Good for tastings and receptions. Teams from the UK will come here for two-week stints. They'll carry on with their jobs but just be in this magical place - instead of Reading - surrounded by vineyards and a wine culture second to none. We think they'll be inspired. In fact we KNOW they'll be inspired. For this was their idea, really. Many years I've brought all our staff here to Bordeaux on group visits, but only for 48 hours. "We want to stay, we don't want to go home!" they'd cry as we poured them back on the plane. Well, now they can.
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