French vineyard

Author: Liu Sha
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: When I met Liu Sha in 2001, he was already deeply interested in the culture and history of wine. After visiting two wine regions in France, he had always wanted to write a book about wine and history. Especially in the cellars of family-owned vineyards and amidst the vineyards, Liu Sha found his calling. Over these years, he has traveled across France's major wine regions. I believe he is a Chinese mainland journalist who does such things, or a wine enthusiast from the Chinese mainland with such passion to explore France's wine regions and uncover memories that even some involved parties have forgotten. Although some chapters are quite heavy, history speaks for itself. Culture should be exchanged, and history is worth remembering. Liu Sha is a quiet cultural messenger who continuously spreads his message within his means. In the late autumn of 2001, one evening in the famous wine region of Languedoc-Roussillon, in a cellar called Chateau de Carcassonne, I listened to Madame Gassan, the owner of the vineyard, tell the story of her ancestors' clever battle against Charlemagne and his Roman army in the Middle Ages to protect the vineyard. At that time, I was astonished that an ordinary grape vineyard could have such a tragic history. Later, I learned that every vineyard in France has a thrilling and unforgettable past. It is precisely this kind of past hardship and passion that has laid the foundation for today's prosperity and glory of French vineyards. That afternoon, standing before the blood-red brick walls of Chateau de Carcassonne, I had the idea of photographing and writing "French Vineyards."
In October 2003, with the meticulous arrangements of Tang Yong and the support of the French Food Association, I embarked on a 50-day visit to eight famous French wine regions, excluding Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon. They were the Rh?ne Valley, Loire Valley, Alsace, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Champagne, Bordeaux, and Jura. In these eight regions, I interviewed 50 family-owned vineyards. His love for French wine, his love for the people who create it, and his love for life are the reasons why our friend Liu Sha shares with us the history of French wine that he knows, the stories of men and women devoted to grape cultivation and winemaking.
In Liu Sha's writing, from the geography and climate to the vineyards and wineries, he fully presents a complete France, a country that blends rich geology and profound culture. He opens the doors of the vineyards for us, he shares the secrets of the vineyard families with us, and he lets us understand the charm of French wine and the mysteries hidden in a glass of wine.
To all readers, may you share Liu Sha's passion and determine the diverse and rich French wine and its history in the simplest way.