The words “Vintage Wine” often conjure up a romantic vision of a delicious elixir “cooled a long age in the deep delved earth tasting of flora … and Provencal Song” as Keats put it.

Watching the Euros has got me thinking about French wines so once again this week I’m back in the Languedoc.

The obituary writers have been busy this year and the case is equally true in the wine world.

APRIL is Real Wine Month which focuses on minimal intervention “natural” wines and also low intervention organic and biodynamic wines.

IN CASE you haven’t heard the rumour there is talk of duty being increased on wine in the budget once again this year so I, for one, am beginning to stock up.