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My picture today is of what we call a ‘tow and blow’ machine. One of the many tools used by winemakers to fight frost here in the Loire.

Do you know the difference between a lieu-dit and a hameau. Do you know what either of them means?

I made this tart last night for our first dinner in the garden and it was so lovely that I thought I’d give you the recipe.

With all this time on my hands I’ve been doing a lot of baking and a lot of bread making. Today I made a ‘Bloomer’, a traditional English loaf.

Unfortunately it looks like the temperature is due to dip below zero this week which is very bad news for local vignerons.

Rosé wine is made in practically all of the Loire appellations. Each appellation uses the red grape varieties permitted in that zone of production.

It seems to obvious to me as I walk through the vineyards above the house. It’s easy for me to spot which vineyards are healthy and which are not.

As we step away from using so many chemicals and pesticides in the vineyard, it has also become clear that there are other things we should be addressing.

So it seems I’m going to have plenty of time to wander around the vineyards over the next few weeks. The plateau just above the house is planted with Chenin.

Vines are hardy plants that will grow in the most unlikely of places. Does that mean that we can make wine anywhere in the world?

Small businesses such as ours are suffering in the wake of the Coronavirus but at least we’re not on total lock down like they are in Italy.

I mentioned that growers have been leaving pruning late to avoid the risk of frost and that some are pruning in 2 passes.