I wouldnât worry - the French are famous for their lack of filtering.
My wife always asks my opinion when dressing, or buying clothes. Iâm always honest with her, as she trusts my judgment. Not sure I would be so honest with other people ?
Wait till you see the Germans.
Please donât take me too seriously on this. 
The Merlot now finished, tonightâs candidate with my veggie concoction is a 2016 Chateau Haut Lestevenie Bergerac. Corkâs out and it is gently warming on the table. 
I think you are getting to enjoy this a little too frequently
3 days for one bottle? 
Part of the thrill is wondering how long it will last, most of the bottles in there are hidden under other packages gift bags etc.
The next one in line I will not be drinking, not till the end anyway, if I am hooked by then. It is a plastic bottle of rose found as the last of Franâs formerly extensive stash. It is amazing what she hid away, Christine and I found a 100 litre black bag full of 1 and a half litre empties, and a large suitcase similarlyl stuffed. She, Christine, took the case the 100 metres to the yellow bin and tipped them all out, goodness knows what the neighbours thought was going on during her visits.
I can see at least 2 champagnes partially hidden and I know at least 4 decent whites still nestle in Commune gift boxes. So a way to go yet. Not sure about champagne though. Hmm, might force myself.
Call me when you open the champagne, we still havenât explored your corner of the woods and it goes flat you know 
Go for it, and enjoyâŚlifeâs too short not to
Youâre always welcome here, Iâm sure you know that, just have to be careful about sipping the champagne though, although Fran never liked it or any other kind of sparkling wine. 
Bergerac finished last night, just before the cheese course. 
Had no option but to open the Chateau Balsamine 2016 from Gaillac, 
lâEcole Buissonniere.
Which will accompany me for the next few nights.
I wonder if anyone noticed the edit, I originally put Merlot instead of Bergerac, completely forgot about it. Am I on a slippery slope?
If you have 2016 wines better check the order you plan to drink them in, some are better within 8 years or so - or less for most Bergeracs!
Better keep drinking them.
There is no plan @JaneJones, Iâm just working my way through, thatâs all. Who knows how many there are in there, hidden from sight, but Iâm willing to bet theyâll be drunk within that timescale?
For years I was given these wines, but darenât touch them, or even admit to their existence. Now that circumstances permit me to, I am enjoying them, and when they come to an end, Iâll go back to the water.
4 days gone, right on schedule, time to open the next candidate.
Tonightâs delight is a 2016 Opus Venti, again from Gaillac.
I am slightly worried that, although I am taking them just as they are unearthed from the detritus of the room without choice (other than avoiding the plastic rose and the champagne), so far all but one have been reds, which I happen to prefer. I think the next bottle will have to be a white though because I know that there are at least 4, 5 or even 6 there and I donât want to be left with nothing but white to drink. Especially as I might well not buy any more when it is all gone.
Who knows though, this might be the last one, better really savour it tonight then. Tonightâs banquet is a Toulouse sausage with steamed mash potatoes with a few herbs and spices mingled in. This will be the first taste of meat in a week I think, or maybe I have just forgotten the last time, which was a Pukka steak pie.
Update: The meal and the wine was lovely, I added some panais to the thinly sliced spuds as well as some green pepper and garlic. All chopped fine and steamed for half an hour then mashed with 3 knobs of butter and a sprinkle of herbs de provence. Gave a small portion to Fran (cooking for 2 now that the lethal baby foods are banned) and took my serving to the dining room. We both cleaned our plates, nothing left for the dogs except the bowl lickings of my fromage blanc with madeleines (half chocolate), prunes and mixed dried fruit) afterwards.
Sorry Stella, took me a few minutes to get the joke, I was distracted. 
Havenât heard about this ??
Gaillacâs one of our neighbouring AOCs and I used to be a bit sniffy about it, because it seems virtually any cepage can be used. However the summer before Covid I found myself at a dinner in a nearby commune, sat next to a Toronto based lawyer, who also has a beautiful restored house in that village (and an equally immaculately restored DS21).
Anyhow, he told me that when he had gotten divorced (excuse N American grammar) heâd given his wife a house in exchange for his cellar of 25 year old plus Gaillacs. I have to assume that heâs an honest lawyer and that itâs a true story, so there must be Gaillacs and Gaillacs - hope yours are the good ones.