A WINE BOOK FOR KIDS

When it comes to children’s books, the topics are endless. There’s adventure, history, fantasy, picture, mystery, and on and on. But a children’s book about wine? That’s a new one. Some in France’s wine industry feel that the country’s stringent anti-alcohol laws mean children aren’t learning about their heritage. And if there’s one thing the French are, it’s proud of their wine culture. In an effort to bring history to the youth, a children’s book has been published: vignes et vins: un monde a decouvrir (vines and wines: a world to discover) by Sandrine Duclos and Cécile Gallineau. Aimed at 7- to 12-year-olds, the book stresses how fortunate they are to live in a country where the culture of the vine plays such an important role. Using illustrations, it explains the cycle of vine-growing and the cultural role that wine plays in France, and tells the story of wine from the Romans to the present day. The book was launched in September at Chateau Fonroque in Saint Emilion, a biodynamic property owned by Alain Moueix.
Moeuix was interested in the project because of its emphasis on the natural side of wine-making, and its “green” values: the books have all been printed and bound without the use of any glue or printing varnishes. Editor Emmanuelle Garcia, whose idea the book was, told decanter.com: “We felt there were increasing gaps in the knowledge being transmitted to our children about the cultural role of wine. There has been no negative reaction so far, but we will see. I explain each time that we are not promoting wine itself, but explaining a culture. We have really worked hard at ensuring the layout and language of the book is clear. This is about the heritage of France.” An initial run of 2OO,OOO copies was printed, with plans to export the book to Quebec and other French-speaking countries. The publisher, Editions Mama Josefa, is considering an English translation. Think there’s a market in the US for a kid’s book about the heritage of bourbon and our forefathers?