The vines shimmer under heat haze. It is HOT.

Above our famous water tower the sky is deepest blue.

From time to time, there are distant rumbles of thunder in the mountains behind us. Sometimes we can watch thunderheads building fifty miles away. We’re glad we’re on the edge of the storm. We won’t catch the worst of it. In the vineyards, though, vines will benefit from fresh rainwater running in rivers and streams and through the gulleys into the plains.

Now is the season of celebration in all our towns and villages. Our local co-operative Vigneron held a wine tasting evening as part of summer festivities. Himself and I discovered new wines from our local producers and also from further afield.

Here I am with TWO empty glasses. For shame!

It was a pleasant evening in the shade, sampling Languedoc’s most famous export. Our mayor always attends village events. Here is chatting with growers from Magalas.

Their Domaine Moulin de Lène will feature in a future Vine Report. In the meantime, here’s a link to their website. Francine speaks good English and is happy to explain their wine growing methods where they keep to a minimum chemical intervention..

However, more of that in their dedicated Languedoc Vine Report later after our visit and tasting of a full range of their products.

Other musical celebrations are held regularly through July. Five nights of fireworks culminate in the big celebration of July 14th. Thereafter, it’s time for Fiesta. Many of our villages have bull-running through the streets. The Feria is a hectic three-day celebration.

So, it made for a pleasant evening when himself and I took a table at a restaurant on the banks of the river Hérault and watched night fall with a bottle of local Rosé. Magic!