High winds have continued throughout this week in the vines. Then, on Sunday, the wind stopped and the temperature soared. Here’s Sunday’s photos in the vineyards:

I’m looking for a change of colour soon in our chosen grapevine. Merlot grapes are thin-skinned and mature before other red varieties.

Meanwhile, in the Chardonnay field –

Vineyards are looking full of promise. Everywhere you walk, the fields are green and lush.

Around every corner, there’s another fine view of fine wines in the making.

And now that the temperatures have reached the magic number, cigales (cicadas) are singing in the trees and hedgerows. It’s the boys who do the singing – rattling their exoskeleton to attract the ladies. Here’s what they sound like: cigale song video

That’s one of the typical sounds of summer in Languedoc.

You hardly ever get to see cicadas while you’re out walking. Occasionally, they’ll come into your garden. Here’s what they look like:

Their life cycle is unusual. The nymphs spend many years underground before emerging to live a short life as an adult winged insect with one purpose: reproduction.

So, the boys sing like crazy as long as it’s warm enough. How they make the sound is interesting and if you’d like to know more about it there’s a website dedicated to all things cicada. Here’s a link:

http://www.cicadamania.com

And now some exciting news about next week’s post. Master of Wine, Juliet Bruce Jones has kindly agreed to answer a few questions about qualifying as Master of Wine and her life as a winegrower here in Languedoc. I can’t wait. It’s my first EXCLUSIVE. Wow!

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See you next week,

Cheers!