walking the vines

 

Not far from home is the vast estate of St André. Mostly either side of the old railway and down to the river. It’s a vast operation on the site of an old convent. Military precision, enormous hangars and semi subterranean stores. Housing for workers..,even its own petrol pumps! It appears to be Gigondas and is owned by Gabriel Rey (a company). 

https://www.gigondas-vin.com/en/vigneron/maison-gabriel-rey-chateau-saint-andre-2/

Anyway we often stroll about the vines and peer over the bridge parapet to see how the river is. Today a couple approached from the Violès direction. Seemed quite normal, but I swear the bloke was wearing his towelling dressing gown! He turned back before reaching us.

Part way along the road in the vines is a ruined dwelling that we’ve often pondered about and today we ventured nearer. 

Very interesting - walls mostly rubble stone and river pebble and ghostly figures stencilled on the walls.

Back at the domaine I spotted the sad remains of all those juicy grapes...

It was hot in the sun and as we passed the bar it looked too tempting. So we braved the assembled multitude and sat at the very edge in the warmth for a beer and a kir.