by Caspar Bowes

The drumming I heard on the roof of the hotel as I woke yesterday morning abated during breakfast as the rain moved away. Aside from an occasional shower, the day became increasingly bright and temperatures gradually rose to a dizzying 16 degrees Centigrade.It was an early start. The Médoc's …

This morning saw me - chairman of the bored - heading south-west on one of the most tedious pieces of road I have ever had the displeasure of enduring. I had gone to my bed last evening executive vice-chairman of the mildly cross, as I realised that I have brought the wrong cable for my camera, thus…

I am off to Bordeaux tomorrow for a week of tasting the 2007 vintage. Reports have started to filter through. Here are the first impressions of James Suckling of The Wine Spectator:"I just finished my first day in Bordeaux and I am happy. Sure, 2007 is not a great vintage. It could never be exceptio…

Am I simply getting old? Our 2006 Rhône offer is coming together but it's been more of a slog than usual. I have, thus far, written 3.5 offers and have been underwhelmed by all of them.Choosing the wines has been the easy part: more of a case of what to leave out than what to include, as we ta…

Thierry Usseglio pouring a sample from a tronc conique: a very à la mode barrel in the RhoneOur last morning and we still had yet to hear about an appointment that may or may not be happening away to the south. We breakfast quickly and head out to Châteauneuf for the last time. The wind…