You have to pick a grape or two

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Well rested after a great night’s sleep, a lie in (well it is Sunday!) we seemed to have found a little of heaven, quiet, scenic and with very good facilities. Camping at Le Pressoir seems to be a good find only wish it was a little warmer (not complaining at the 19 degree average though) so we could go in the pool for a swim!



Woolly says – A great start to the day, especially with Ian making us boiled eggs and French Soldiers. Having removed all traces of yolk from my fur we drove the 2km to Le Chateau Vieux Mougnac. We could have walked but unsure as to quite where it was and if it was actually open (it doesn’t give opening times on their web page) we took Oliver for a short spin. The Chateau has been producing wine for five generations in the same place, now run by Madam and her son; they remain true to ethos of respecting nature and not adding anything to it. They produce their Merlot and Cabinet Sauvignon working within the moon cycle, I’m not sure how this works because I thought you needed sun to grow grapes!



We arrived to a quiet courtyard with no sign of anyone but the keys in the outside of the door. We sat admiring the views over their land, everything including the garden has vines growing on it. Five minutes later and Madam arrived in her car and proceeded to lift out a rather large tree container, possibly for another vine!



Woolly says – She was very nice, speaking a little English (lots more than Jo can speak French), we left Ian and Oliver relaxing together and followed Madam round the buildings into her cellar. It was HUGEMONUS, far big then Ian’s cellar at The Garibaldi. With four floor to ceiling height vats stood the wine, kept there for two years before bottling, an antiquated wine press stood to one side of the room and I think Madam said that it had always been used by her family to make the wine. There must have been millions of bottles worth of wine sitting in front of me, awesome.



With Woolly working out how many bottles he might get out of each vat I followed Madam into the tasting room in the downstairs of her rather nice home. A glass appeared followed by several bottles, I did gulp, I mean I like a glass of wine but 5 bottles might be a bit much! Providing me with a quarter glass of her 2003, 2004 and 2006 reds I nodded and smiled trying to look as though I knew what they were meant to taste like, it came down to 2003, the other two were a little sharp for my palette of 1.80 Euro (approximately £1.50 GBP) bottles I had been consuming.



Woolly says – I caught up with Jo as she started on the whites! A couple more samples and the purse was out and a carrier back appeared with her 2003Bordeaux Superior Rouge vintage and the tasty little 2009 Bordeaux Superior Blanc.



A little more than I would pay usually working out at 18 Euro (approximately £15.00) for the two bottles but Madam doesn’t charge for the tour and tasting and I did feel a little bit obliged.



Woolly says – Once Jo had finished her tastings we started back to camp. Ian says it’s a 246KM drive tomorrow much nearer to the Spanish Border which I’m hoping to cross in the next couple of days – must find my passport again! With Oliver’s fluids checked, the route sorted and driving sweeties to hand, an early night might be in order.

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