Our Readings

This book is a punch in the face of the wine world. It addresses one of the greatest taboos that exist today.

On one hand, claiming to use a form of genetic manipulation to better do our job. It challenges everything. Traditions sacrificed for science, and a science that tries to answer enormous challenges.

Let's take a concrete example. The arrival of mildew. Mildew is not an endemic European disease. It arrived through expanded transportation, the speed of ships, and here it is on our land. Our traditional vines like *Vitis Vinifera* don't resist it well. As a result, whether we're organic or not... we treat.

In 2024, we went organic 14 times in the vines with a tractor! Soil compaction, fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions... and we're organic! Who is organic in this story? Me or my neighbor in conventional agriculture who used approved products and only treated 7 times?

I don't have the answer. But I ask the question.

Hybrids may be one solution to reduce the number of treatments, but that implies genetic manipulation. Why is this so taboo? Why is this science poorly received, while having satellites for our GPS positioning and being more precise in our treatments poses no problem?

I have no answer to all this. And on the path of reflection, Valentin Morel offers a field return on his experimentation on this complicated subject to address.

I had the privilege of witnessing the creation of the first coasters for this magnificent book. It's an unforgettable experience to see how artists, famous or not, transform this simple medium into true works of art.

This is not a book to read in the traditional sense — it's a table book, a work to look at, to savor with your eyes. The images are beautiful, the drawings full of life and creativity. Each page takes you on a journey, each illustration tells a story.

It's the kind of book you place on your living room table, that you leaf through with pleasure, admiring the skill and passion of all these artists. Pure visual pleasure that honors art and creativity.