The Vine Witch

Elena Boureanu, the vine witch once responsible for a superior wine from Chateau Renard in the Chanceaux Valley, has been missing for seven years. Her return to Chateau Renard and the vineyard to which she is inextricably bound opens Luanne G. Smith’s delightful first novel The Vine Witch.

As Elena escapes the curse placed on her seven years before, she painstakingly makes her way back to her home where she finds her mentor and stand-in grandmother waiting for her. She also finds Chateau Renard has a new owner, one who doesn’t believe in witchcraft. Jean-Paul Martel is a learned man, a former lawyer, who feels sense and reason and science should be enough to create bountiful yields and perfect wine, but so far he has failed. His competition, Bastien du Monde (who is incidentally Elena’s ex-fiance) is driven to acquire Chateau Renard for himself. And, with the help of his wife—a beautiful and terrifying bierhexe named Gerda—he just might be able to do it.

When tragedy strikes the Chanceaux Vally and the authorities come looking for Elena, far more will be at stake than the reputation and legacy of Chateau Renard. With glorious attention to detail and sumptuous description, Luanne G. Smith has crafted an engrossing and enchanting tale of The Vine Witch.