Around midsummer is a great time for tastings and parties. Here in the courtyard of the Saussignac chateau all the producers of the delicious late harvest sweet wine named after the village, come together for an evening of tastings

Then home for a BBQ

Now the top and sides of the rows get a trim every couple of weeks. The aim is to keep the bunches of grapes with enough sun and air. So we trim off excess leaves

The machine is a 'rogneuse' and the process is called'rognage '. When it's all done the rows look as neat as park hedges - for a day or so.the vines are growing at a foot a day in some cases!

The lime flowers are in fulll bloom. If it is too early for wine try a lime flower (tilleul) tisane.