Bordeaux Harvest - my final day's picking

Harvesters at Ch. du Bois

My final day's picking was a good one. The sun shone which always helps. Dries out the mud a bit. The views lift you through the work. Actually feeling great now.  Body's got used to straining … the bending, kneeling, squatting, twisting and lifting.  And that’s just the getting dressed. (The joys of being 66).

An Olympic helper's next volunteering gig

The day off helped. I feel I could go on for weeks now. The first evening I couldn't see me lasting another day, let alone week. I wish my normal job was more physical, I'd be a lot healthier.

No, not caviar, but the last of the Merlot safely in the vat

I don't want to go home. But needs must. Wine has to be sold. I just manage to see the last of the Merlot brought in during the afternoon. That's the bulk of our wine safe. The later-ripening Cabernets still to come. Fingers crossed.

Young, vigorous vines did well, this year

I will be back in November to taste how we did in 2012. Not an easy vintage at all. But I'm optimistic. We seem to do best what the conditions are against us.

Not all our Presbytere vines survive. Like people, few make it to 100

But for now it's scrape off the mud and sticky grape sugar and try look decent enough to be allowed on an aeroplane.

I'm very privileged to be able to have my harvests and my vineyards and the life that goes on around them. But I do at least try to share them.  And we have plans to get much better at doing that.

Alfie the winedog in the village 'lavoir'

They've been sending me recordings of the radio adverts we are about to start doing on Classic FM. Sunday Afternoons. A wine and music show with Simon Callow. 'Tasting Notes'. Whatever next? 

Lots more writing to do.

My dynamic young team like to keep the old guy busy.