The New Lord of the Manor

Maxim arrives. We take a drive to Cancale. We've never seen Cancale at high tide. The oyster beds are hidden by the sea and boats are at anchorage, not lying on their sides. 

We have dinner in Saint Meloir.

The view from the house.

Town square.

Florian, Mannon, and Saint Malo

Our French 'daughter', Florian and our French 'granddaughter', Manon arrive. Manon is now 5, we have known her mother since the mother was 3.

Carol continues to garden for Maxim.

Didier continues to work for Maxim.

For lunch, we drive to Saint Malo to an Algerian cous cous restaurant.

Manon 

Saint Malo is busy. Didier and Florian must park a long way from the walled city. While they retrieve the two vehicles, we enjoy the city ramparts and the harbor.

The harbor is busy with tourist boats.

While waiting for Maxim's arrival we enjoy leftover civet lapin (rabbit), bread, and a good Margaux we purchased in Bordeaux, in Margaux, at the winery!

Loisium Langenlois

Klaus has selected an excellent hotel for to anchor our wine tour. It is located amongst vineyards on the Steiniger property.  It's super convenient for our multiple trips to Steiniger Winery.

We have a great room overlooking the vineyards, grounds, Steiniger Winery, and the village.

The big gray structure is a wine museum and beginning of Steiniger winery tour.

To Vienna

 Didier and Jocelyne deliver us to the Rennes St. Jacques, the airport serving Rennes.

We are served meals on both KLM flights. We'll not need dinner.

We're ferried across Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport by a cart out of Star Wars.

Two flights and a taxi into downtown Vienna and we're soon asleep at Mooons Hotel.

Paul D Winery Lunch and Steininger Winery Dinner

Paul D Winery is the first stop on our Klaus Austrian Wine Adventure. We have a super bus equipped with a few back to front 4-person seats and a coffee bar.

The bus is greeted uniquely. At the door of the bus, Paul's father, the previous winemaker. Farther toward the courtyard, Paul's mother. Next Paul's wife, and then more relatives. By the time of our first drink, Carol has one relative charmed with an invitation to Australia. Picture with Klaus is Paul and his mother.

Paul Direder pouring the welcome rose bubbly. Since an uncle uses the Direder family name for his winery, this family changes the name of the winery when the winemaker changes. Since Paul took over from his father, the name has been Paul D Winery.

Klaus and Paul's father.

Two welcome samples of two wines are followed by lunch and more different wines. Fresh white asparagus, roast potatoes, and medium rare beef are all delicious.

Following lunch we tour the winery.

And then the farm.

After and afternoon break, we assemble at Steiniger Winery for dinner.

The group is offered a welcome glass of bubbly in the courtyard.

Many additional wines are sampled during a 'family' dinner. At one point or another three generations of Steininger's are introduced or involved in the serving. While the group walked to the event, we were driven in a golf cart by the managing matriarch of the family.

We return to the hotel by golf cart.