Louis Pasteur was a French chemist and microbiologist born December 27, 1822 in the Jura wine region particularly famous for its Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille).
Even though officially the Germ Theory was proposed by other scientists, Louis practically discovered the existence of micro-organisms. Before him, humanity thought spoilage germs could grow simply from inanimate matter without descent from similar organisms. No point then in maintaining hygiene in health or food industries for example, since the concept of contamination was virtually unknown.
Pasteur’s discoveries led him to create the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization (process named after him obviously). Needless to say these have saved an incalculable number of people and improved our food dramatically over the past 150 years or so.
Because wine was so important to the economy of France in the 19th century (and it still is, as you’d guess), the government asked Pasteur to establish the reasons why wine would sometmes naturally spoil (as well as milk by the way). He demonstrated that yeast was responsible for fermentation to produce alcohol from sugar . He also demonstrated that bacteria was involved in other fermentations or spoilage in wine: lactic or acetic fermentations. Doing so, Louis Pasteur initiated the first principles of modern winemaking to allow wine to keep its quality: inoculation, controlled fermentation, winery hygiene…
Unarguably, Louis Pasteur knew his science, a few things in life, and knew his wine…
One would thing he read a few books in his time as well.
So when I read that he said: “A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world”, I am thinking: “Let’s forget about the books for now, and have a glass of wine…”
Cheers my friends… Live smarter, live with wine…
Please let me know your thoughts