Diary. Chai au Quai. The 'Irene' is to sail a day later than planned.

Which is good because it means Mark can attend the send-off party on the Quai in front of the Chai...

Which is now. The Maire of Castillon shut our road and Libby and co. put out tables and chairs. A brisk wind - fair for down the estuary and to England - put some of her parasols in the Dordogne. Omen?

The guests came … le Tout Castillon … and around. Alain Vauthier of Chateau Ausone gave me an old postcard he'd found of our Chai au Quai, loading gabarre barges at the Quai where we were standing.

Alas this time no gabarres because the one which moors here regularly had been set on fire by voyou's and burnt out. The Maire's frantic efforts to secure another from Bergerac or Ste Foy came to nought. Anyway, as it happens after six weeks drought the river is far too low to float a barge. In the old days the barges only operated with the river in flood.

But we party on anyway. We can; the wine is now all loaded aboard. Irene waits for the morning tide down at Blaye.

Drinking the Voyage wine - and a few others, canapes, and chatter.

The barrel rollers hurtle lethally amongst us. Heavy wine barrels rolling, tipped on diagonal and directed one-handed by runners going as fast as they can. Old wine trade tradition. New Olympic sport?

The rowing club are out in force too.

'Les rouleurs' et 'les rameurs'; the wine and the river! Why we are here....neat eh? We have a cooper making barrels, a baker making bread and stalls of local produce. We have assorted maires and a senator. Plus lots of old friends.

Like Mr Toad I make a speech! … about how Castillon inspires me so. And my regret at being born too late to have done wine the old romantic Onedin Line ways.

And the importance of the very close links Bordeaux - Britain not being ever forgotten. Reminding all that in the Middle Ages this was a huge trade with thousands of sailings a year. Enormous. Back in King John's time we imported about the same amount of Bordeaux as we do now! For a tiny population!!!

Finishing with my belief that The Moment for Castillon is now! Like when after WWII when Jean-Pierre Moueix arrived to push the then little known district of Pomerol right to the forefront. Castillon is now making itself heard. About time too.