It was good to see a game of cricket being played by a family cycling round the very hot and dry Clare Valley (note the keeper’s unconventional helmet) in shade outside the first winery founded there in 1851 and still owned by the Society of Jesus – the Jesuits

My! The bats were big and the boys were small but there was plenty of promise….

There have been only five wine makers between 1851 and 2003, all brothers within the Society; brother John May who retired in 2003 still lives on the premises within the community and occasionally serves at the cellar door.

His successor as wine maker is a woman…. Who knows – might she – and even the young cricketers making good use of their time while their parents tasted – be the legends of tomorrow?

So far, two tastings on this Monday morning, to start the week: Grosset, at 09.30, where Jeffrey has been making his signature Polish River Hill Riesling for 35 years, and married to Stephanie, whose Mount Horrocks wines – where we were yesterday –  are in direct competition; and Sevenhill. On to Paulett, which at 530m high has spectacular views of the tinder dry landscape  -the Polish river dried up years ago – and lunch on the balcony…