Wine & War
The French, the Nazis and France’s greatest treasure
By Don & Petie Kladstrup
“The peasants who worked the vines believed there was a special relationship between war and grapes. They had always said that the good lord sends a poor wine crop when war starts and a fine festive one to mark it end”.
I found this book while browsing in the very famous bookstore Shakespeare and company bookstore in Paris and the name caught my attention (I’ve also written a book recommendation post based on this bookshop HERE).
I had just done a day trip to Reims, in the Champagne region and had done a cellar tour while there and was keen to learn more about this area, Champagne and wine in general.
I’ve found over the years from doing wine and cellar tours in many different countries, that the more I learn about it, the more I appreciate it and understand how different regions, traditions and climates change the methods used and therefore the taste. So when I found this book, it piqued my interest.
The book is based on many wine growers personal stories during the Nazi take over of France in 1940. Jumping from Burgundy to the Loire Valley, Bordeaux to Champagne, it tells the story of how the French wine growers were forced to give much of their premium wines and champagne to the Nazi officers, but how many were able to hide it in cellars or caves until the end of the war.
The stories of struggling to produce wine with worker shortages, casks and glass bottles and having to turn much of it into pure alcohol for fuel to also give to the Nazis.
It gives a picture of life living in France under German occupation and Vichy France. It tells stories of winegrowers who became POW’s, joined the Resistance, or the French and German armies, how they survived and were able to come home after the war and rebuild their lives and vines.
It is a great read as it is a story that history doesn’t really talk about, and even big world war II history buff myself had never actually thought about. These are the stories of places that have since then, become world renowned Wine labels and Champagne Houses such as Taittinger, Pol Roger, Piper Heidsieck, Pommery, Laurent- Perrier, Veuve Clicquot and the incredible families behind these houses.
A highly recommended read for anyone who likes history, wine or both!
Steph xx