Wow, what a vine!

The profession of a winemaker stands out from that of other farm workers by the fact that the activity does not end when the product is harvested. It continues with a second cycle - the transformation of grapes - to result in wine. These two professions require a unique set of tools stemming from a rich ancestral expertise. Philippe Bérard has assembled one of the largest collections of these objects. Michel Bouvier, one of the foremost experts in vineyard history, provides the key to understanding them. From the spades, picks, hoes, rakes, cultivators, or hand hoes used for planting vines, to the cooper's tools, including mallets for driving in stakes, sickles (replaced by pruning shears at the beginning of the 19th century) for pruning, not to mention the baskets and bags used for harvesting, the wooden or cast-iron rollers for treading, the presses or the impressive marc cutter, the authors introduce us to the entire world of wine. A world imbued with imagination, as evidenced by the numerous legends associated with the vine present in all the wine regions of France. These objects, displaying astonishing diversity depending on the different regions of France and French-speaking Switzerland, in their own way, showcase the extraordinary wealth of a vineyard regarded with respect worldwide.