Vineyards and Terroirs | Joel Rochard

A CULTURAL, HERITAGE, AND ECOLOGICAL VISION OF WINEGROWING REGIONS. Wine testifies to the ability of human beings to overcome a hostile environment through their intelligence, conviction, and the inheritance of expertise passed down through generations. The Earth's surface, shaped by the combined effects of plate tectonics and erosion, in connection with local climatic specificities, has led to a great diversity of terroirs, giving rise to a wide variety of wines. Serving as a connection between the land and the spirit, landscapes also combine the historical know-how of winemakers, who are both architects and gardeners in the noblest sense of the term, of the terroirs. However, this "cultural ecosystem" is fragile. Modernity, in its functional approach, has often overshadowed these heritage treasures left by our ancestors, a legacy sometimes seen as a constraint in the face of technological advancements and economic imperatives. While avoiding a backward-looking vision that could lead to vineyards becoming relics, these landscapes must be integrated into a heritage management approach for winegrowing regions. This passionate work allows wine and nature enthusiasts to marvel at the beauty and diversity of winegrowing landscapes worldwide, and enables professionals to better understand the cultural, aesthetic, and heritage values of their terroir, as well as the ecological challenges of today and tomorrow. LET YOURSELF BE GUIDED BY OVER 100 PHOTOGRAPHS OF WINEGROWING REGIONS AROUND THE WORLD, AND BY OVER 100 LITERARY QUOTES THAT INVITE YOU TO TRAVEL. Joël Rochard is an oenologist and agricultural engineer. After working for 15 years in research and advisory roles at the Champagne Wine Interprofessional Committee, he founded the Sustainable Development Department of the French Institute of Vine and Wine in 1997. He has published several reference scientific works, two of which have been awarded by the prestigious Expert prize from the OIV. For over 20 years, he has been a regular speaker and collaborator on projects in most winegrowing countries worldwide to promote the concept of sustainable viticulture and oenology.