Bacchus gave this Foréz village of more than a thousand souls the art of cultivating vines. A handful of rebels, lovers of the vine like Daniel Mondon, retired winemaker from Boisset-Saint-Priest have planted small plots of these grape varieties forgotten for decades for their personal consumption.
Isabelle, Clinton, Noa…
The latter number in the hundreds (Isabelle, Clinton, Noa, etc.), and some were banned by the Ministry of Agriculture after the phylloxera crisis at the end of the 19th century.e century. This insect, an aphid from the United States, wiped out millions of hectares of French vines, unable to resist its attacks.
Making them known again is what the first edition of the Rebellious Wines Fair, from May 6th to 8th in Boisset-Saint-Priest. The organizers also explain that ”these naturally disease-resistant grape varieties could provide an ecological response to the climate changes that are harming the vineyards”.
If the event was born thanks to the dynamic impelled by Daniel Mondon, today president of the oenology club of Boisset-Saint-Priest, about fifty volunteers will be mobilized over the weekend where nearly 3,000 visitors are hoped for, emphasizes Simone Duplan, member of the organizing committee.
Tastings, farmers’ market, entertainment
Twenty professional winegrowers and fifteen amateurs will be present to present their productions. On the program of the Rebel Wines fair, tastings of course, a farmers’ market but also entertainment.
On Saturday 7 May, a wine competition is scheduled at 9 a.m. before the opening of the show (entrance €5) at 10 a.m., in parallel with the farmers’ market, all set up on the stadium site, at a place called Le Gachet. The documentary ‘Vine Prohibita” will be screened at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. that day, and at the same times on Sunday, May 8.
Les Grol’ries des Ayasses, the adult theater group of the town will present its play ‘‘Welcome to the keufs’ in the evening at 9 p.m., and the children, the play “Les Matru’Grols” Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. A meal and theater formula is possible on Saturday evening (€18).
Details can be found on the Facebook page: Rebel Wines Fair.
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