The winemaker Philosopher

« I think that my old castle and my winery will soon draw me back to the countryside; since the peace, my wine is making more money in England than my book. »
(to the Prior Solar) from Paris-1749

Baron de La Brède aged 24, Montesquieu made it a point of honour to maintain his financial independence.  While most of the great writers of the century depended on the generosity of wealthy patrons, Montesquieu lived from the fruits of his land.  This independence enabled him to think and write freely. There was only one way to maintain this and continue to travel all over Europe: he had to ensure that his estate prospered through appropriate maintenance of the land, the production of excellent wine and a successful marketing strategy.
The philosopher therefore took great interest in the running of his vineyard and most particularly the care of the vines, fine, healthy grapes being a prerequisite for great wines.  His studies at Bordeaux’s Royal Academy of Science, Literature and Arts equipped him with substantial scientific knowledge that was very useful in this regard. He conducted studies of various issues that demonstrate his quest for perfection and precision. Which grape varieties are best suited to the soil at La Brède? When is the best time to harvest the grapes? How should the vines be pruned? When? Should leaves be removed? Should excess buds and excess growth around the base of the vines be removed?  Such questions may seem obvious today, but at that time they represented very advanced ideas.
Montesquieu lived like any other winemaker: following the rhythm of the seasons and the vines’ growth cycle, and enduring the same challenges: bad weather, frosts, hail, economic crises, periods of over-production, wars…