The four pillars of utopian wine

This chapter explores the four pillars of utopian wine firstly through a theoretical prism, then through a practical example. It traces the lineage of utopian thought back to the four founding myths of utopia: The Golden Age, the Republic, the Land of Cockaigne and the Millennium. In parallel, it relates these utopian foundations to the development of the four pillars of winemaking: terroir, viticulture, degustation and cellars. This quasi-chronological approach to comparing the origins and development of utopia and wine, defining their contributions and identifying their pre-modern connections constitutes a theoretical framework to assist in deciding whether a wine might be considered utopian. Focusing then on a case study of Bordeaux grand cru wines, the chapter examines the relative importance of harmonious terroir, ordered viticulture, democratised degustation, and hopeful cellars. In this way, the theoretical framework is tested via a practical example to establish whether the four pillars of utopian wine are essential to achieve the status of a truly ideal wine.