Le Vin et ses métamorphoses : de la nature à la culture

Abstract

The “blood of the vine” is in the center of a human adventure based upon the work and the courage of the vine grower and developing by the making of ritual and tradition. Bordeaux and the country around it, as well as Porto and the Douro country, are living examples of this adventure that has placed wine in the center of their economy, their society, their culture. Starting from elements coming from Nature – climate, soil, vine-plants – a galaxy of cultural elements has developed that allows us to speak about “wine civilizations”. There is in fact an intimate and indestructible bond between vine and the countries where it grows, creating a strong relationship between the two that will grow until it becomes a true identity, shaped by Man. For wine is the fruit of Nature, but mostly of Culture, of several cultures. In the center of numerous rituals which contribute to unite the members of a community, it is also an important actor in the making of religious myths, with a very strong symbolic power, that often expresses itself in a beautiful manner in the arts, specially literature. Thus, we will try and follow that road that leads from Nature to Culture through the various metamorphoses of wine.

Keywords

• vine
• rituals
• wine
• culture
• civilization