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    Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure
    Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure
    Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure
    Audiobook9 hours

    Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure

    Written by Don Kladstrup and Petie Kladstrup

    Narrated by Todd McLaren

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    In 1940, France fell to the Nazis and almost immediately the German army began a campaign of pillaging one of the assets the French hold most dear: their wine. Like others in the French Resistance, winemakers mobilized to oppose their occupiers, but the tale of their extraordinary efforts has remained largely unknown-until now. This is the thrilling and harrowing story of the French wine producers who undertook ingenious, daring measures to save their cherished crops and bottles as the Germans closed in on them. Wine and War illuminates a compelling, little-known chapter of history, and stands as a tribute to those extraordinary individuals who waged a battle that, in a very real way, saved the spirit of France.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMar 19, 2012
    ISBN9781452676678
    Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure

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    Reviews for Wine and War

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    • 4/5
      Continuing my reading regarding World War II, I selected this book because I am an oenophile - a wine lover! I was extremely interested in finding out how the French vineyards/winemakers managed during World War II and was amazed at how much I learned. Before the war started the 1930's saw cutbacks in shipments to the US due to Prohibition, but the winemakers and Americans manage to get around that by shipping win in crystal perfume bottles. Other tactics were also used so in ways preparing the Winemakers for the Nazi occupation. After the occupation after the men were sent off the German Army, limitations for those left behind included only German newsreels at the cinema, no American films, andlistening to American jazz was not allowed. The French food was rationed by calorie rationing 1200 per day for adults and 850 for the elderly but the restriction of no wine was the most painful for the French. Actions of subtle defiance - spilling drinks on the Germans, bad directions for German tourists, red, white and blue "accidental" displays as in clothing kept the French spirits up. The French Resistance helped to hide 100s of thousands of bottles of excellent wine while winemakers sent the poorer vintages to the German hierarchy. To prevent good wines leaving the area, Resistance would derail trains and hijack shipments. Resistance Leaders at times were even smuggled out of Occupied areas in wine barrels. But the winemakers had other problems - their plow horses were taken for the army so that cows had to be used, chemicals/fertilizers were unable to be obtained and yet the German still required large numbers of bottles of wine to be sent to Germany each month. There were even weinfurhers who were responsible to canvas each of the major wine regions - Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne - for the best wines.But French Army finally was able to join the fight after D-day. During the Champagne Campaign, the French troops advanced up the western side of the Rhone where the best vineyards were planted while the Americans went up the other side where the lesser wines were made. Frequently the French troops slowed down so as to prevent battles taking place in the vineyards.The great vineyards frequently said that from 1939 to 1945 paltry wines were made but when the war ended in 1945, there was a tremendous harvest.I was happy to read that the vast majority of the vineyards were able to survive.This was a very well-written book with interviews from family members whose vineyards were part of the battle for French wine.One bad note - there was a part where an American soldier from Baltimore was described as a avid Oriole fan. Sorry, the Orioles did not come to Baltimore until 1954. I know because it is my hometown team!This would be a great book for any oenophile!
    • 5/5
      This is the epitome of a modern, awesome history book: it takes on an unusual angle, the role of wine and winemakers in World War II, and tells a tale of resistance and endurance in an engaging, enlightening manner. Wine is France. The Germans knew it. Claiming French wine was part of the overall subjugation and brutalization of the French people. I was awed at the ways that winemakers fought back, from smuggling people in wine barrels (no easy lid removals, either--barrels had to be completely deconstructed), to hiding Jewish friends and downed American pilots in rooms next door to German soldiers, to trying to engineer copper sulfate for wine production with Germans all around--and dogfights overhead. Wow. This book is a fast, easy read, but one with a lot of depth.
    • 5/5
      Great fun & fast read. I learned more about the realities of French resistance and collaboration --and the muddy line between the two -- from this book than from anything else I've read. Well worth an evening or two. (2019)
    • 4/5
      Both delightful and horrific. Delightful in that the Kladstrup's provide insight into the making of French wine, its historical significance, traditions as well as the identity which it ingrains in each Frenchman and woman. Horrific in that the book covers the affects of the wine industry brought about by Hitler's invasion and the Nazi's wanton attempts to steal, corrupt and destroy France's wine industry. Through love of country and the beverage itself devoted winemakers found ingenious ways to conceal wine and save the vineyards from complete destruction.....even if it meant with their own lives. I liken this book to a liquid version of Monument Men and a must read for lovers of the grape.
    • 4/5
      Tells how the French protected their wine and vineyards from the war and the Nazis. I knew very little about this. Little vignettes are told of what the winegrowers were facing. I liked how there is continuity provided in the telling of their actions during WWII. Knowing what happening in WWI and how those events were followed by the in-between years and the weather explains a lot of why they went to the extreme of hiding their best wines and protecting their vineyards. I also liked how their stories were followed up in the after war years to the present time. Of course, one of my favorite stories had a home town connection of an American soldier digging a foxhole and coming up with wine. (less)
    • 4/5
      Great historical look at the French, their wine, and the Germans who confiscated it during WWII. The French winemakers who were part of the Resistance, used many methods to hide their wine from the Germans or taint the wine to make it unpalatable. I was aware of this part of history before I read this book, but this book really brings it to life. I loved the scenery the book evoked in my mind. There are some great photos at the start of all the chapters that I found fascinating as well. I went to France this fall and saw some of these caves and vineyards and having read this book made the trip more interesting. This in nonfiction that I feel reads like a great fiction story.
    • 4/5
      Reads like an adventure story but is really about the activities of the French wine makers as they attempt to save their wine, their vineyards and industry from the Germans during the Occupation. From walling up their wine cellars to draining wine barrels of their contents while the barrels rest on guarded rail cars, the many attempts to trick the German occupiers are sometimes funny and many times dangerous. One of the anecdotes is about Paton's Third Army rush to capture Berchtesgaden/Eagles' Nest only to be beaten by the French Army which hoped to recapture 1000's of bottles of French wine and Champagne stolen by Goring and company. The French soldiers found the wine and loaded it on trucks and tanks and took it back to France. There is a bibliography attached for those who wish to follow up on some of the incidents described.
    • 4/5
      I quite liked this book. A nice slice of history mixed with lots of things wine. Well researched and arranged nicely. Fascinating, too.
    • 4/5
      The Kladstrups toured Europe to gather the stories of World War II from many of the greatest French winemakers and their families. Their short book details their tales of courage and Chardonnay, of pain and Pouilly-Fusse. Nothing is romanticized or omitted. If this book does not make you want to learn more about wine, then nothing will.
    • 3/5
      Title says it all. Based on accounts from the French winery owners and workers involved. Seems they were all in the Resistance.