Winemaking in the church

Divine contemplation : the pressing (click to enlarge) Reims, Champagne
The view on all the stages of winemaking in a church, all the more in a cathedral, is odd enough to justify a short photo story. The music and songs usually heard in the catholic churches don't fit exactly my canons of musical aesthetics, this devotional music like Tom Hanks used to say in Lady Killers (one of my cult movies) is often lifeless and dry, at least in this part of Europe. But the visual scenes in churches big or small, the light quality and the volumes are another story, and there are great experiences to make walking through the silent interior architectures and majestic volumes of churches. And take these stained-glass scenes : Even though we know that wine holds a special place in Christianity, we unconsciously consider that wine consumption and winemaking have a vulgar and temporal side that could make any depiction of them out of place in the church decoration. Here are a few heartening pictures of the beautifully-colored windows of the cathedral of Reims showing vignerons making their wine and a couple of wine-related sacred episodes of the christain faith. Considering the central role played by monks of all ranks in the advancement of everything wine, in the selection of terroirs, varieties and remodeling of gifted slopes, this tribute to the winemaking craftsmen in a gem of a cathedral was well deserved.
Note that most of the scenes depict non-Champagne vinification, or classical still red wine vinification (which could be red Pinot Noir like there has always been in the region). I think that the artist had clearly in mind the idea to pay homage to all the growers and winemakers and not only to the ones of Champagne. Call it a symptomatic omission, I am sorry to say that I missed the scene with Dom Pérignon among the many ones depicted on these windows...
I have downloaded bigger-size pictures exceptionally as the details of the scenes are not obvious, you can click on the pictures for the large version.

The mystical press (click to elarge) The cathedral of Reims sustained extensive damage during WW1 and repairs were conducted along the following decades and continued after the interruption of WW2. In 1954, the Corporation des vins de Champagne, the lobby of Champagne producers, ordered a monumental stained-glass work for three lancet windows on the right side of the cathedral, asking to master glass artist Jacques Simon to realize winery-centered scenes. There's a tradition going back in the middle age to honor particular craftsmen, which were then organized as guilds (corporations in French). This stained-glass work of art was thus in line with a long artistic tradition mixing religious scenes and temporal themes.
The last two pictures at the bottom show Marc Chagall's stained-glass windows in another part of the Reims cathedral, in the back of the church. the renowned artist realized these windows in 1974. Foot stomping of the grapes (click to enlarge)

Cooperage workers (click to enlarge)

The grapes from the promised land (click to enlarge)

Water turned into wine in Cana (click to enlarge)

Harvest of the grapes (click to enlarge)

Loaded horse cart at harvest (click to enlarge)

The grower and the vine (click to enlarge)

Saint patron of the cavistes : Saint Jean Baptiste (click to enlarge)

Marc Chagall's stained glass in the cathedral (click to enlarge)

Marc Chagall : general view

Comments

[Emil H]

Thanks for some great photos - it's wonderful inspiration as I'm making some research about travelling to Champagne.

[hikalu]

Nice beautiful photo. Interesting

[Bertrand]

Hi Hikalu !

Thanks for the comment, and I want to tell you that we are thinking a lot to Japan B. and me, we're following the stream news on FNN and we hope that the situation is going to get better for the radiation question on the coast. I am amazed about how Japanese people react quietly and stoicly to the multiple catastrophes that struck their country.
Hope you're fine,

Bertrand

[RedWineExp]

Thanks for sharing this article and very nice photos too.

Japan will prosper...

[Christian]

Fascinating. Photos are stunning.

[Wine Harlots]

Amazing!

[Richard Mathew]

Amazing arts shared that are showing deep words regarding to the making of grapes and their wine as well. dissertation writing recommends that you should share more of photos regarding to showing ancient events as well.