In between some of the vine rows wild leeks grow.Locally known as Madrigon, they have taste a little bit more oniony than a domestic leek.

I steam them for about four minutes. They are smaller than a domestic leek and ideally about the thickness of a finger. Any bigger and they get tough.

Delicious! Visitors at this time of year are welcome to harvest their own.

Well the last three months have been pruning followed by more pruning. This year was a bit more challenging as Humphrey was waiting for a stent for his heart. So Valentine's Day hearts took on a new meaning. Anyway here he is pruning a vine (Malbec) about his own age.

Altogether we have about 45,000 vines to prune and we should finish next week. Despite the wettest muddiest February ever. We have a second pair of electric pruners this year which has certainly paid off.

After pruning these old vines should have two long branches and two tiny ones so that this years fruiting shoots come from the long branches' buds and the tiny twigs produce the long branches for next year. Apart from pruning some of our 2013 white has gone for sparkling wine, a first for us and ready later this year.