Second day

This proved to be a full-on day of three wine tastings, a visit to Lourmarin, and a more relaxed dinner back at base camp.

The Luberon, the area we visited, is technically not in Provence but in Vaucluse, a different department across the Durance Riveer.

Loumarin is one of those picture-postcard towns that that Peter Mayle made famous. It was market day and by 10-30am  it was heaving, a vast torrent of visitors making their way in the direction I was going.

Our first tasting was at Chateau Fonvert.

The father probably sold his wines to the Co-op, the son produces organic and biodynamic wines …the next generation.

Their Roses were particularly fragrant though not that easy to obtain in the UK.

Our second wine visit was to a much slicker operation la Verrerie owned by a Parisian family who also own Westin shoes and Bon Point children’s wear.

No expense had been spared but my view and that of the group was we preferred the feel of the family business.

We learned that to get your Appelation Controlee accreditation there were strict rules on blending. For some reason champagne is immune to them. We also learned that the salmon pink colour of rose is something consumers expect.

There was third tasting before dinner at base camp.

Here we tried a white from Cassis and a St Simon from a tiny domaine called Palette which retails for £.50.

This illustrates the value in every sense of local wines which do not find their way to the supermarket wine shelves.

The Mistral is still blowing and if you are out of the sun it’s distinctly cool. At Cassis on the coast wind speed is 90 mph, as fast as Jefra Archer.