Here I am just back from London and the launch of Alastair Sawday’s “Special Places to Stay” guide, featuring French vineyards with hotels/Gites/Chambre d’Hotes accommodation. Domaine Gayda and Vinecole were featured and the Sawday’s team held a press and reader launch last week in central London. It was a jolly affair with vineyard owners from around France showing a selection of their wines and talking about their Domaines.

I took along the Cepage Viognier and Syrah 2008, the Occitane Blanc 2007 and Rouge 2006 and the Chemin du Moscou 2006. All wines went down a storm, and guests were intrigued to learn about grapes such as Marsanne, Roussanne, Mourvedre, Carignan and other weird and wonderfuls that are generally not plastered on front labels and so unheard of. We also got a lot of positive response about the wine school, many liked the idea of learning about wines whilst staying in a working Domaine. We look forward to receiving the Alastair Sawday’s readers at Vinecole!