The Winemakers of the Sky

Men of prayer but also tireless workers, monks have shaped the face of the old continent. Thanks to them, viticulture was able to be reborn. Through their work, vineyards have expanded into new spaces, have brought together men of goodwill, and have ultimately transformed landscapes. The European wine regions as they exist today all have a monastic past that has deeply marked them and whose imprint they still bear. "By looking at the Sky, the monks have drawn the garden of the earth," said Dom Gérard, founder and first abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Le Barroux. "The Vintners of Heaven" pays tribute to their beneficial action without which the wine civilization would have died. Enhanced with very beautiful and often unpublished photos, this beautiful book allows us to better understand how the development of viticulture is linked to monastic influence. A salutary work that offers a true journey through the greatest vineyards of France and Europe. Marc Paitier, father of six children, is a general in the French army. A fine connoisseur of wine, since leaving active service, he has given numerous lectures throughout France and in Côte d'Ivoire, a country where he served for many years. His approach to wine and his pedagogy are highly appreciated. He is the author of a previous book, "The Memory of Wine," published by Mareuil.