Take a breath: how winemakers unwind
Those who thrive in vineyards understand the importance of hitting pause. From playing Mahjong to taking a refreshing dip in Lake Hourtin, let’s explore how our vineyard workers find their moments of peace.
Meteorology: the science of uncertainty
Weather: a lesson in humility, from folk wisdom to algorithms.
Whether guided by folk wisdom or modern forecasting models, farmers and winegrowers are searching for the same thing: a glimpse of what lies ahead. The weather, however, rarely offers certainty.
Must you taste it to believe it?
A tasting game to test your convictions…and your intuition.
Match the right sensations to each stage of tasting. Between oenological precision and misleading clues, can you tell what’s what?
Dragons, roses and ladybirds
Untangling fact from folklore in the world of wine.
Deep-rooted traditions or ideas with no real basis? From Gregorian chants to the shape of a bottle’s base, here’s a look at some of the stories, rituals and myths that surround the world of wine.
When rituals rhyme with reason
Proverbs, offerings and biodynamics: when rites complement reason.
In today’s vineyards, science reduces uncertainty, but it does not explain everything.
A very eloquent nose
An interview with assemblage expert Alexandre Schmitt.
Alexandre Schmitt made a dramatic shift from the world of haute parfumerie to another field equally bound to aroma: wine blending. He shares the essence of his sensory-driven approach—and explains why training your nose is essential to tasting wine.
The beauty of the grain
How seven photographers captured the textures and essence of the harvest fruit.
From vineyard to image, the grape becomes more than fruit: it is light, still life and living portrait. For over half a century, Lafite has invited great photographers to turn their lenses on the harvest. Here, we look at how seven artists — from Robert Doisneau to Sharon Core — reveal the grape in a thousand guises.
2025: a Five-Star Vintage
The grape harvest, that annual event, a story that is halfway human, halfway fruit.
Fermentations: The invisible revolution
An interview with philosopher Anne-Sophie Moreau.
Philosopher and journalist Anne-Sophie Moreau explores, in her latest book, Fermentations, the deeper reasons behind today’s passion for micro-organisms.
Grape glossary
ASSEMBLAGE - An A-Z of grape-related expressions and proverbs from across the world.
In our cellars, we blend grape varieties; in this article, we blend proverbs. From Japan to Italy, from Greece to Spain, the grape runs through languages and imaginations. Each line reveals a shard of culture, a flavorful metaphor, a way of naming this fruit that brings us together. Like a blend of voices from across the world.