Pruning is over. It's warm enough for the trees to bud. But please Not. Yet.

Hoping everyone has a wonderful holiday break and a great 2012, and
looking forward to seeing you here at Chateau Lavanau.

Winter here seems to wash away the colours in the landscape leaving
pale ochres, raw umbers, charcoal, and creamy greys. The stone barn
here echoes the clay soil it stands on. Inside it is being partially
reconverted to create a printing studio.
Our friend and neighbour Keith Stevens has given us his valuable time
and expertise in designing and constructing this new space, which will
house presses for collagraph, lino, wood, lithograph, etching and
monoprinting.
Workshops will start in early 2012 and future students as well as the
art groups already enrolled here will have an exciting new space to
work in. Watch out for the completed studio pictures soon......

We've been asked back !! Enormous thanks to Anne and Colin for hosting
again. If you're in the area we'd love to see you.

Two photos which evoke the Summer now that the first chill days are
starting to arrive. The breakfast table which is the heart and soul
of all good b & bs everywhere (notwithstanding the other essentials:
crisp Egyptian cotton bedlinen, lovely views, sun on demand and nice
hosts!!)
The other picture is a patchwork of lovely moments spent with Vanessa
& Martin, two of several friends who stopped by, in addition to a host
of delightful clients.
The swimming pool and ping pong table were well used, the wine stocks
were depleted, the croquet balls got hammered, the Sauvignon and
Cabernet are safely in, and the sun shone most of the time.

At 6am on the 31st August our 2011 vendange begins. The Sauvignon
grapes are always first to come in, and this year in addition to the
fresh morning air we also cooled down the press with blocks of ice to
ward off possible heating & oxydisation of the grapes after sunrise.
Our friends from Paris, Vanessa & Martin were with us to share our
excitment (& trepidation). Their first experience of a vendange, which
was also Vanessa's birthday. We celebrated this with a toast straight
from the press, of the unfermented grape juice. Throughout the
vendange timing is essential. So not only do the grapes need to hit
the press with all possible speed but machines need to perform
reliably after a year's rest when they are cranked to life. The
weather has to be ideally cool but dry. If you haven't experienced a
vendange & are interested in more technical facts read on...

The grape harvester straddles each row and the grapes get beaten off
the stalks with spinning paddles and chucked into bins. They are then
tipped into deep trailers when the bins are full. The photos show
Michel driving the huge harvester which requires delicate precision
and skill. Martin & Paul are waiting to see the action next to the
trailer. Back at the chai, Michel's son Benjamin is joining the
pipework to and from the Vaslin press. The full trailer is backed
up to the press and the grapes & juice are pushed through and along
the pipe to the press where a thorough crushing of the fruit takes
place and the resulting juice is sucked into the vat. Discarded
twigs, pit and pith are swept up.
By 10 am the heat was up & a further load must now wait to be
harvested at dawn tomorrow.

A group of retired friends arrived for a few days of exploring the
area mainly by bike.
I was expecting a frail party but to my astonished admiration they
were off after 8 o'clock breakfasts and covered 40 kilometres each
day.
My own bike has been languishing in a shed for 6 years after 2 short 10 minute
outings. Time to dust it down, and heave myself out of the deckchair.
They have truly inspired me.
I should add the verdict of the group: that this was perfect cycling
country: traffic free roads, gentle slopes and beautiful scenery.

Come on over here. Have bike will travel.

 A week out due to an all house booking & the generous offer by our daughter-in-law,
Camille to replace us here. A chance to catch up with Tom, Becs & Maya in
Cantabria; to paddle, to chill (in both senses) & brave the surf. The
sun did come out eventually, we did swim & Paul rode again!
Interesting for us to swap the Summer experience somewhere else for a change after
nearly 7 years here.

The art lessons are over until October & a pot luck lunch was held on
the terrace as about 3/4 of the group made it over, and delivered some
delicious dish. I provided bread & water (& wine). This is Summer at
its best. Good food, good wine, laughter, friendship & brilliant
sunshine.

As the sun set on a grillingly hot day, Paul led a wine tasting which
included wine connoisseurs Len & Jackie Deakin and Malcolm & Jane
Roberts from Canada. Malcolm is a distinguished wine expert
recognized by St Emilion's prestigious Jurade having been awarded the
status of 'Vigneron d'Honneur'. The 'Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne
has dubbed him 'Chevalier' for his work in introducing rare proprietor
produced Champagnes to Canada. It was interesting that he was here,
when our 1st order from Canada had just left our cellar.
Our tasting panel was generous about the Chateau Lavanau vintages they
sampled.
The event was rounded off by Malcolm opening some unique grower
champagnes; Larmandier- Bernier extra brut blanc de blanc, vieilles
vignes de Cramant grand cru 2005 & Tarlant extra brut cuvée Louis
(terroir unique Les Crayons)
As midnight approached most of the group plunged into the floodlit
pool to cool off.