A Remarkable Year of Mutual Inspiration Between a Winemaker and a French Cartoonist
Text / CommonWealth Publishing
In France over the past twenty years or so, one striking phenomenon has stood out: the revival of both comics and wine. This success is precisely the result of cartoonists and small winegrowers refusing to compromise and holding firm to their values. And "The Ignorant: The Story of a Cartoonist and a Winemaker Enlightening Each Other"(The natural wine wave hits the world, native yeast liberates the soul of terroir)
A Top Cartoonist and a Unique Wine, Crossing Paths Within One Year
French cartoonist Étienne Davodeau is a leading figure in French comics today, a master of both documentary comics and fiction; winegrower Renault believes that stones and wind both influence the flavor of grapes, chooses small-scale production, does not apply for organic certification, and would rather withdraw from the appellation d'origine contrôlée, labeling his wine simply as "vin de pays" (regional table wine), holding his own views on both grapes and wine.
Davodeau extends an invitation to Renault: over the course of one year, they lead each other into their own fields and studios, visit the figures they each respect in their circles, and together taste the top masterpieces and little-known fine wines of both domains.
The reading list Davodeau gives Renault includes documentary works, historical wounds, heroes, deep self-reflection, and other genres, both showing Renault the vastness of the comic world and subtly sketching out Davodeau's faith in comics. Renault leads Davodeau into the discussion of "whether or not to add sulfur in winemaking" After many tastings and many nights of sleepless excitement over comic plots (or the opposite), the two creators keep talking, questioning or challenging each other, or sharing the same feelings. Precisely because they know nothing about each other's fields, they can be free from the influence of trends or external authoritative information and honestly speak their true feelings: an obscure table wine is no inferior to a sought-after famous wine at auction, and the works of a highly acclaimed cartoonist do not necessarily move every reader's heart. When they introduce their fields to a layperson, they can see each other, and through choice after choice, reveal the values they hold firm to. These insistences on values and details give works their character, set us apart from others, and also bring us companions who share the same ideals, and more supporters who identify with these values rather than knowing us merely by packaging and preconceived impressions. The cartoonist condenses this wonderful year into this book, inviting readers to step into the wondrous meeting point of two worlds, seeing not only the exchange between two crafts and two visions, the confidence and vulnerability of the circles' key figures, but also, from the perspectives of producer and consumer, repeatedly debating the value of existence and the path to success of small-scale, non-conformist products. It also seems to ask readers themselves: how much are you willing to give for the values you believe in? Below is an excerpt of a wonderful passage, shared with everyoneHow Much Are You Willing to Give for Your Beliefs?
