Vintage has started in Bordeaux and the Midi!

The whites are being harvested; Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle. Very early, of course, but then the vines started growing very early.

Aromatics are strong. But maybe alcohols won't be so strong.

Anyway, our winemakers are on the move. Today, Mark comes back from checking his Midi vineyards and gets the Sauvignon Blanc moving here. He has James from Hunters NZ back again, Maitena from San Sebastian again and new-girl Lauren, fresh out of Plumpton the UK wine college. Jean-Marc is flying about all over the place.

As I am due to go back to the UK for routine stuff you probably don't want to read about I will, for now, hand my diary slot over to Mark and his Blog so you get a real first hand feel for the addictive madness we call 'Vintage'.

Here he is ...


And harvest madness begins ...

Heard a few rumours about rain in the Midi and I had mixed conversations with local growers over the phone; most of them in over-exaggerating farmer mode! So only one thing to do: get down to the Midi, which is exactly where I have been for the last two days. And of course, it’s not as bad as they make out, just them being farmers!

I started early in Carcassonne at Domaine Lalande to check the Chardonnay. My mate and Lalande winemaker Richard 'Ozzy' Osbourne was there to greet me and raring to go for his now-20th vintage here!

The Cailloux Chardonnay vineyard is in great shape. No mould and small bunches made up of clean crisp berries. Needs another 7 days I reckon, but I'll keep a close eye on it.

Viognier for the VC also clean, but a little behind in maturity. So this year, patience and risk will be the name of the game here I think!

Next was a bit of a drive across the Languedoc to deepest Bezier wine country. I had to check firstly Roussane with the Baron de Bertier, then Vermentino with no other than Madame F herself!

All looking very good indeed as long as any rain stays away for the next week.

With the panic over, I went back to the winemakers’ 2011 Midi base – a gite in beautiful Peyriac Sur Mer – to freshen up before heading back into vineyards for the Pinot Noir harvest tonight! Back to Bordeaux early tomorrow as the Sauvignon Blanc comes in. And so the harvest madness starts!