Fifty years ago this month I finally fled school and, convinced by Brigitte Bardot, Inspecteur Maigret, Le Moulin Rouge and croissants that the French way of life was the one for me, immediately crossed over the English Channel.
This week, Laithwaite’s HQ has moved to shiny new offices a stone’s throw from our previous home of 15+ years. All went remarkably smoothly and my lot seem to be very pleased with our new surroundings. But in all the […]
Early in the ’70s I ventured behind the Iron Curtain travelling – nervously – in a converted Russian bomber which still had perspex turrets … presumably so it could easily convert back for WW3. But the trip was worth it […]
The younger-looking one has been making wine for 73 years … Domaine Pontfract Monsieur Paul has been making his wine for 73 years. That must be a world record, no? He started aged 12 during the war when all the […]
… the most glamorous beach restaurant in the world. Marks the spot on Pampelone beach where the phenomenon that is today’s St Tropez began. St Tropez had been just a small fishing village nestled amongst vineyards until Brigitte Bardot made […]
… flash, bang, wallop; stones, is it, pinging on the metal table in the garden? No; hail! At first light – heart in mouth – out to check the vines. Very, very wet BUT … no damage I could see. […]
… as massive storm rages outside in the dark in Bordeaux. Early start to catch the 7.50 Gawick to Bordeaux. “Gate closes in 5 mins” she says, “so where’s your group?” 25 Laithwaite’s people – Brits and Americans – finally […]
We sat – wife, dog and I – having a post-work beer, in front of vineyard cabin last night. Darkness falling. We like it up at the top of Wyfold evening time. Our house – a couple miles away – […]
Robin Langton is our newest buyer; an ex-flying winemaker of great experience on three continents … and also an ex-policeman! You get stuck in a lift as we did on the first night of last week’s trip down the Rhône […]
The drive from Barossa to McLaren Vale is beautiful. It is also like going from Germany to Italy. You leave behind the super-successful, teutonic-efficiency valley and arrive in arty, laid-back-Latino land. That’s how it seems to me anyway. No massive […]
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