Les Camarades

We've just bottled our last vintage. It's been named Les Camarades in honour of all the wonderful people who have helped us in the vineyard and the cellar. I filled the bottles, Ali corked them, Henny & Yvonne carefully placed the front and back labels. Patsy sealed the capsules by dunking the top of the bottle in boiling water and counting 'One hippopotamus, two hippopotamus, three hippopotamus, out.' Then dried off the bottles. Finally Colin made up boxes and filled them with six bottles, sealed and stacked them.

We made just 68 cases of hand-reared, tended and picked syrah, cinsault and grenache lusciousness. Our tanks have been sold along with the vineyard and have gone off to start the process again for their new owner.

Ali and I made six vintages of the most artisanal wine. The early wines are now drinking beautifully, although ignorance meant that we drank much of it way too soon. We know differently now and won't even look at the 2013 vintage for a few years.

I wouldn't have missed the chance to tend vines and make wine, but I'm thrilled that the mantle has now passed on to new owners who are full of enthusiasm and desire to learn. Good luck Stéphane and Florence!