How France revolutionized the world of wine

Spring 1919. A century ago. France is just emerging from a devastating war that profoundly disrupted the country, drained its population, ruined its economy, and permanently affected its values. As the country hosts the great Peace Conference in Paris, which is to establish the new international order, the President of the Republic, Raymond Poincaré, enacts a law as unprecedented as it was unexpected, instituting a complete reconfiguration of the French vineyards.

Henceforth, it is through a “designation of origin” that producers will be able to identify their wines by claiming in court the geographical delimitation of the vines from which they originate.

This law of May 6, 1919, forms the matrix of the vitivinicultural landscape to this day. By breaking with previous liberal provisions, mainly built on commercial practices and branding, it gives birth to the model, which later became triumphant, of wines known as “terroir” wines.

Surprising and unexpected, this is the story of the emergence and promotion of wine quality over a century of history. It is also the story of the organization of the French vineyards through a then very innovative and revolutionary definition of wines. A century later, this unprecedented look back at the genesis of wines with designations of origin, which became “terroir” wines, offers us the keys to understanding a vitivinicultural system that has since been adopted throughout Europe and has largely contributed to the success of French wines worldwide.

Information:

• Format: Paperback
• EAN13: 9782100793754
• ISBN: 978-2-10-079375-4
• Publisher: Dunod
• Publication date: 05/09/2019
• Collection: Outside Collection
• Number of pages: 192
• Dimensions: 21.5 x 14 x 1.7 cm
• Weight: 245 g
• Language: French