Rain, rain, rain!

Yes, we finally got some rain!  Two straight days of light, gently penetrating rain.  It was gray and drizzling, and we were so happy!  Well, it wasn't so great for my poor sister and her boyfriend who were here visiting from England, but they joined in our celebration, even if they would have preferred a few sunny days! We had a picnic in the vineyards on Sunday, kind of an annual celebration of spring.  It was a beautiful day, even hot!  The leaves are just starting to open up in the grenache,  for now it seems like our vineyards might be a little behind our neighbors.  I don't know why, maybe it's because we don't fertilize them, maybe it's for another reason... 

Today I am off to Beaucastel and Rayas in Châteauneuf du Pape with Thierry Desseauve, and then we're ending up in Lourmarin at Tardieu-Laurent.  The last time we were there, we didn't have time to taste the 2005s so we're going back, then we're having dinner at La Fenière, it's supposed to be a gem, I'll tell you all about it when I get back!