Good heavens, has it been that long...?

Can I apologise for having a grandfather like GP? He is supposed to be keeping this blog up to date and jolly nearly 6 months have passed in the meantime. Heck, that's 20% of my life so far. Has anything happened in the meantime? Well only a massive harvest, Christmas party, lots of Michelin restaurants, me going to school, and did I mention a new brother or sister? And GP just ignores it. I reckon I'll be taking over by this time next year so there should be some continuity.


So where was I? Oh yes- a very successful harvest last year, more than 50% up on 2010. Thanks as always to all the helpers which included this year Tata Icky and Tonton T. (I can now say Vicky, grandpa!). GP made some excuse about a bad back.... Lots of barrels in the cellar, needless to say, and fermentation all over in weeks rather than the 11 or so months for 2010. Possibly bottling in April to save the last minute rush.

When all the work was over (!) GP and Granny came over with THE sign which was attached to the front of the house above the shop and unveiled with a big party for the village in December, including some magnificent music from Papi. Not many pub signs in the Jura, especially with lion/cockerels (lickerels?), so we'll get noticed! 


We had a very good Christmas with Mami and Papi, Christelle, Nicolas and cousin Alexis before going over to England in January where the weather was better than last July. It will be the last trip before I bring over my brother or sister, due in June when I will be 3. I looked at the scan last week but couldn't really tell. A brother would be good!


In the meantime I have been going to nursery for some time now and am also going to school where there are some bigger boys and girls. I am now the official translator for Granny and Grandpa and frankly I think they are getting lazy knowing that I have the answer. This blog will be bilingual before you know it. On that topic Mummy has been doing a lot of translating and is about to run an 8-week (2 hours pw) course teaching wine staff English so that they can understand and explain their wines to English speakers (which often includes Dutch and Germans).


In England I met another cousin, Ben and we had a good time together. He's got a rather bigger train set than I got at Christmas, but I am trying not to get too despondent and really enjoy playing with mine, even if it is smaller(and already 3 times the size of the photo below)..... I also got a bike with pedals which I had to leave behind but which will be coming over in May.


Daddy has been selling lots of wine and had a very good Percée, if freezing. Daddy is looking forward to having his own vin jaune, but still a few years to wait (6 years in barrel). He was at Orléans recently and we're off to Clermont Ferrand this weekend. Now have 3 restaurants with Michelin stars in France, as well as plenty of other good ones, and an "espoir" in Kent, where GP has just set up a business www.hb-wines.co.uk . Happily the wine is so good it doesn't matter if GP doesn't really know what he's talking about. "An enigmatic little number - rather smoky as the slope is rather more south-westerly than usual - hints of pawpaw and coconut with overtones of syrup of figs". I'll swear he makes it all up as he goes along.

Well I think GP has just about brought you all up to date and he's putting a few extra photos alongside. I'll make sure that he is more timely with our next contribution.


Bisous to you all


Basti xxx