AyTee wrote:
> The book is fascinating. I recommend it. Lots about attempts to keep
> wines and vineyards from destruction, the Resistance, even wine in
> German POW camps.
>
> Andy

Here's my earlier review of this book:

I just finished reading "Wine & War" by Don and Petie Kladstrup. This
is an excellent telling of how the French wine community dealt with the
Nazis from 1939-1945. The book traces the activities of various French
families and German weinfuhrers during World War II is simple and easy
to understand with understated but powerful prose. I know I believed
many of the French especially those in the wine trade were
collaborators. Now I know that trading with the Germans through the
weinfuhrers protected lives and stocks but also provided bases of
operation for the Resistance and in many cases supplied the Germans
with some awful wines. The book illuminates an era that was a crucible
for our world and provides great perspective on every day life of an
occupied people. I think every winelover should read this book. I
wonder now, what was the Italian experience for winemakers during that
era. I recall conversations with the late Renato Ratti, the Currados of
Vietti, Pio Boffa, Count Ugo Buonacossi, Peter Pasolini and Angelo Gaja
that about their families role in the Resistance, but I was too busy
drinking and eating to remember too much. What is needed is a writer
like the Kladstrups to check out this story for in it there are great
similarities with wineries walling up their better wines to keep them
from the Germans. (A situation that is now reversed if you have ever
competed with our Rhineland friends for a special bottle in a
ristorante in Verona or Siena or a booth in Vinitaly--but that's
another story......). Little by little, we Americans are realising that
World War Two was not just John Wayne, plots against Hitler and GI Joe.
Another dimension in the struggle against Fascism is being brought into
our consciousness. For this I raise my glass to the Huet, Hugels and
other families mentioned in this book. L'Chaim! --




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