This is the Volume 1 of the book – Solomon’s Vineyard, The Diary of an Accidental Vigneron.
Andrew Solomon , a young bank clerk, is ‘let go’ in the course of the bank’s reorganization, whereupon his wife leaves him for a wealthy lover. These are both almost immediately killed in a car crash however and Andrew finds himself, with both the compensation from the bank and his wife’s insurance, a rich man. He takes a Mediterranean cruise to get away from it all but falls off the boat one night and is rescued by some French fishermen. He buys a small car, and on the drive home stops at a small town in thes Avergne and finds himself looking at a notice in an Estate Agent’s window: For sale – established riverside B&B with small vineyard.
He is hugely attracted to the idea – also to Sabine, the young Eastate Agent, and with the help of her uncle Gabriel puts his considerable funds into developing the Vineyard and making their own wine instead of sending the grapes to the local co-operative, which incurs the growing hostility of some of the neighbours ; Geoges Cortou, President of the Co-op ,in particular. Despite this, the reputation of the Vineyard contines to grow until some decide they have to get rid of the ‘English’ at all costs….