Discover 5 Unique Vineyards

Les Grappes invites you to take a tour of the world’s most unusual vineyards. Sometimes you have to wonder what winemakers are thinking.

#1 The Montmartre Vineyard

Well, this one’s a classic, but we just had to include it in our TOP 10: the Montmartre vineyard, also known as the Clos Montmartre. It’s been there for over a thousand years and was already serving up wine to the common folk and the little people back in 944. They certainly had a sense of humor, as they coined the saying: “It’s Montmartre wine. Whoever drinks a pint of it pees a quart.” A pint is 93 centiliters and a quart is 67 liters… which gives you an idea of the wine’s quality. The vineyard still produces wine, and we celebrate its vines every October.

#2 The Pacific Vineyard

Out in the Pacific, they make wine, too. The island of Tahiti launched the “Tahiti Wine” project in 2002. When you think about it, all the conditions are in place for the vines to feel right at home: sunshine, a fairly favorable climate, soil suited to viticulture, fine sandy beaches, and coconut palms! The only concern is in the event of a tsunami. That’s when there might be a problem.

#3 The Vineyards of Cappadocia

We now head to Cappadocia in Turkey. The region, known for its cave dwellings and ancient sculptures, is also home to another treasure that takes us back to times long past. Amid these science-fiction-like landscapes perched at altitudes of up to 1,500 meters, grapes have been cultivated in Anatolia for 4,500 years. The minerals in the soil, the region’s abundant sunshine, and the caves carved into the rock create an ideal environment for producing wines whose quality improves year after year.

#4 The Vineyards of Lanzarote

This lunar landscape is indeed located on the Blue Planet! We’re in Lanzarote, a small Spanish island off the coast of Morocco. Between desert landscapes and idyllic beaches, cultivating anything is a real challenge. The volcanic eruptions of Mount Timanfaya in 1730 played a major role in shaping the island’s climate. Much of the island is covered in ash left over from the last cataclysm, allowing the wind to blow freely across the entire island. But the winemaker has more than one trick up his sleeve! The vines were planted in holes, up to 3 meters deep, spaced 5 meters apart, surrounded by low walls in areas where the winds are particularly harsh.

#5 The vineyards along the Urrugne coastal road

Our fifth “extreme” winemaker is Emmanuel Poirmeur, and he sells his wine on Les Grappes! In 2007, he took a wild gamble by planting his vines on the Urrugne cliff, not far from Hendaye. In 2009, the project became a reality. The Chardonnay vines perched on this small patch of Basque Country enjoy constant winds that often reach 110 km/h, which helps prevent disease and improves the quality of the grapes. As Emmanuel likes to say: “Here, winemaking is a battle.” The cultivation of this grape variety, typically grown in Champagne or Burgundy, is nevertheless perfectly suited to the climatic conditions that characterize the region.

Bonus: The Ribeira Sacra wine region

Olé! We’re heading back to Spain—to Galicia, to be precise. They certainly have a knack for making things difficult for themselves. In the Ribeira Sacra region, they practice “mountaineering viticulture,” with vines that have been perched on dizzying slopes since Roman times. The logic: the higher the terrace on which the vines are planted, the more they benefit from sunlight and cool air currents, allowing for a higher concentration of sugar in the berries.

Thibault, contributor to Les Grappes

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Photo credits:

– Vignes Montmartre, www.voyage-webguides.com
– Vignes Tahiti, Vin de Tahiti
– Vignes Cappadoce, https://www.huwans-clubaventure.fr
– Vignes Lanzarote, onekite.forum.free.fr