Flew down to grey skies and rain. Dear God! Nobody tell
Jancis or that's another vintage shot.
Weather's been mostly good and hot this month, as it was in
August and the grapes actually look lovely around the house. Henry's last
analysis was over 14 potential. 20 years ago harvest round here would've been
long over. H is amazed we used to make 12 degree wines … which still taste
pretty bloody good, son! As we'll demonstrate next week with a vertiginous
vertical of every vintage since the unfortunate 1984.
Having done the vineyard walk (always the first thing on
arrival) with Alfie dog and lit a big fire, great to be able sit and write at
last.
Been busy with Authors this week. Laithwaites sponsored our
indefatigable neighbour Sue Ryan and her Henley Literary Festival this year.
She gets all these fascinating people you'd love to meet to come and talk and
Henley folk reveal they don't just do Pimms and Rowing and Hooray, but are in
fact dead cultured.
Michael Palin really is as nice as he seems and looked just
like a grizzled explorer who'd just done the Amazon. Which in fact he had.
Howard Jacobson v. good – got the book. Mrs Moneypenny, Jilly Cooper … You
can't do them all, sadly. I had a job.
Watched Emma Freud showing how to be an interviewer and tried to copy
her, asking Hugh Johnson really interesting questions. Then repeated same for a
second performance (he's big in Henley is HJ). That was hard.
Our 'authors’ party' last night. Thank you kind taximan for
bringing back my bag with all my precious stuff. Good party though.
Board Meeting here tomorrow. Followed by an 'Un-Board' or
'Unbored' session in the beautifully restored Château de Francs lent us by kind
friends as a place to get well-inspired; helped along with the wine of course.
The great Michel Roland, king of winemaking consultants, grew up in this great,
if battered, edifice and has returned to make the wine in its stunning new
cellars.
Should be a good night. We'll get lateral … mentally, that
is. Lots of wild new ideas are bound to come out. Remembering them next day will be the hard
bit.
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