Blog

Haute Valeur Environnementale is a new certification that encourages and recognises efforts made by vine growers to work with respect to the environment.

It’s a while since we opened a bottle of Savennieres as we’ve been immersing ourselves in the wines of Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire since we moved east.

Just a few more pics of grapes that have suffered badly with all the heat this summer. These grapes won’t be picked for making wine as there is no juice.

As we countdown to harvest it looks like 2019 may prove to be a tricky year for winemakers.

This is a lovely summer salad. Make it when all the ingredients are tasting at their best and it’s hard to beat on a hot day in the garden.

Boa Moa is a delightful example of something a little offbeat. 100% Sauvignon Rose, this colour mutation of Sauvignon makes beautifully aromatic wines.

Made from raw milk in the Haute Garonne department in the south of France, the goat’s have roamed freely among the garrigue (the dense scrubland found in Mediterranean regions covered with wild plants and herbs).

Celeriac is a very underused vegetable. It’s delicious both raw as in the classic celeriac remoulade and braised as I have done here with orange juice.

A couple of weeks ago we spent the afternoon with local winemaker friends. Everyone brought along an interesting bottle to share.

This is a great dish for a summer’s day. A simple dish, transformed by the quality of the ingredients so we only make it when the tomatoes are in season.

More scorching weather and no rain for weeks. Young vines are dying and grapes are sunburnt. July has been another trying month for growers in the Loire.

It’s 42 °C here in the Loire today. The third day of intense heat that is seeing growers in the Loire start to worry about their grapes.