A corner of a foreign field

The torrential rain was being blown by the wind directly into the windscreen and, consequently, visibility was next to zero, no matter how hard the wipers were working on my behalf. It was pitch black along the unlit roads of the Minervois. The headlights of the few oncoming cars gave me an indication of the route ahead but their glare made it even more likely that we would end up in the ditch on our right hand side after misjudging one of the bends and undulations.

It was with some relief that we arrived at Puicheric safely and after parking we dashed across the road under the feeble cover of my small black London umbrella and into the warmth and shelter of their vignerons house.

What a filthy night it was to be out and about. The last time we had seen Jo it had taken her an hour and a half to get home along snow covered and icy roads - there seems to be something about our meetings and bad weather!

David and Jo Cowderoy are winemakers and British to the core and had invited us over for some supper. Their winemakers house was warm and cosy and full of dogs and children. It was as if we were in the kitchen and dining room of an English country farmhouse, which felt slightly odd here in the Languedoc but at the same time was comforting and reassuring.

Their two border collies were as lovable as any farmhouse dogs and, as always, their owners were oblivious to their misbehaviour and misdemeanours - one purposefully 'goosed' Debrah within two minutes of our arrival and their hangdog looks when sent from the dining room would have melted anyone's heart.

And their teenage daughters and their friends were, like, very amiable and, like, very shy as girls of that age are and, like, reminded me of my own daughters a few years ago before they, like, suddenly became young adults. I probably didn't get that right but anyone with teenage daughters would like totally understand what I mean.

We had a delightful evening sat around their dining table, in front of a warming log fire, sampling their range of wines - chardonnay, sauvignon, carignan, mourvedre and late harvest - as well as a delicious supper.

It was a top night out and thankfully the rain had stopped by the time we drove home.