Wine Book: The Vine in the Blood (La vigne dans le sang), the Intimate and Touching Story of Sandrine Héraud

When searching for a book about wine to better understand this fascinating world, one often comes across guides, technical manuals, or encyclopedic works. But some books go further: they tell the story of wine by telling the story of lives. They explain the profession by revealing what is never seen.

This is the case with La vigne dans le sang (The Vine in the Blood), by Sandrine Héraud, a winegrower, author, and member of our Local Noses community.

An intimate and courageous story, which comes at a time when the viticultural world is going through one of the most difficult periods in its recent history.

A Deeply Human Story, Far from Wine Clichés

We often imagine Bordeaux as a region adorned with prestige, historic châteaux, and mythical vintages. The reality is more complex, especially for the family estates and small operations that make up the bulk of the vineyard.

This book arrives at a time when the profession is undergoing profound transformations, caught between economic pressure, climate change, and new consumer expectations.

Without ever presenting itself as a manifesto, Sandrine recounts what these changes mean on the scale of one life.

At the heart of her story is a deeply moving decision: not to pass the family estate down to her children.

“I hesitated for a long time, but today, I know I made the right decision by choosing not to pass on to my children the land so precious to our ancestors, the vineyard for which they fought, where they worked their entire lives. Perhaps you will find me selfish, but it is nonetheless a visceral act. I am not giving them the domain, but I am offering them my story, our story, so beautiful and so tragic, so that they may understand.”

This sincerity gives the book a rare dimension. It shows the vine as an emotional legacy before being a land asset.

A Book About Wine, but Above All a Book About Bonds

Throughout the pages, Sandrine evokes the place of wine in our lives. Simple, yet universal moments:

“A bottle on a Christmas table, glasses clinking on a summer evening in the small village harbor, the sound of a cork popping upon opening—all this moves us, unites us, reminds us that wine is not just a drink. It reveals the soul of the winegrower and tells stories of passion and sacrifice.”

Here, you are not reading a manual. You are reading a voice. A voice that tells how wine can be a link between generations, a mirror of memories, a way of saying goodbye and thank you.

A Necessary and Courageous Testimony

What is striking when reading La vigne dans le sang is Sandrine's clarity. She speaks directly about difficult choices, the wounds that shape a life, and the strength it takes to turn a family page.

She writes it clearly:

“I wrote this book for my children and for my father. For my children, so that they may understand why I abandoned my land, my vines, my family estate. For my father, to turn the page on a painful chapter, to say goodbye one last time, thank you one last time. Because it was he who transmitted to me the love of the vine and wine, my daily life.”

This declaration summarizes the essence of the book: an act of love, a different act of transmission.

An Essential Wine Book in 2025

If you are looking for a book about wine that goes beyond technical or encyclopedic approaches, this one is a guaranteed favorite. It illuminates the life of a winegrower from the inside, without artifice, without pretense, with deep humanity.

The preface by Philippe Faure Brac also emphasizes the significance of this unique story.

And for us, at Vinodelice, it is a source of pride to highlight Sandrine, an active member of our Local Noses network, where those who tell the story of wine authentically gather.

Why Read This Book?

• Because it talks about wine without false pretenses.

• Because it puts words to what many winegrowing families experience.

• Because it reminds us that behind every vintage, there is a story.

And some stories, like Sandrine's, deserve to be read.