Impossible to miss it when you arrive in the courtyard. The huge fresco on the wall of the distillery, realized with natural but quite original components… Welcome in the creative universe of “les Frères Moine” ie the brothers of family Moine, winegrowers and artists at the same time. The art of blend has no secret for them.  The upper stage of the distillery is dedicated to an art gallery called the Preswar. “Les Frères Moine” develop creativity and own  values of sharing, both with their cognac, pineau, wines, and with the audacity to highlight artists in the middle of cognac vineyards.

Hustle and bustle in the courtyard when I arrived fews days ago on the end of the afternoon. It was D-1 before the opening of the first exhibition of the year. Danielle Joubert and Jacques Taris, the artists were finalizing the last details in the art gallery. Gabriel and Yann in work-clothes were just starting the bottling of… 300 special bottles “cuvée spéciale” dedicated to the exhibition.  Nevertheless the two brothers  did not look under stress as you can notice on the video ! Theses guys have a gentle nature.

The art in the vineyards is one of their ideas. They feel comfortable  to share with everybody coming in their wine estate, the nice things of life and for them, wine and art.

“People are sensitive or not sensitive” say the two brothers “and then people who are sensitive in art could be sensitive in wine discover and vice-versa”.

“Art is a subjective matter, exactly like wine tasting” tells me Gabriel the distiller. “It’s not necessary to have studied in art-school to appreciate art, and not obligatory to be  oenologist to appreciate wine” adds  Yann winegrower and plastic art artist known as “Monsieur Frog”.

The label created by the artist has been printed in the small workshop created by Yann in the property.

And what about this wall ?

Seemingly, everyone see the black and white colour. A too simple sight for the imagination of the 2 brothers. Black is just the result of a small fungus that we call here “la part des anges” the share angels. Read the complete explanation on my previous post here. So it’s not the wall that the artist has painted in black, but he realized an outstanding  artistic gesture : erase some parts on  the wall totally black  to let appear the beautiful face of the grandfather !

“Les Frères Moine” in the area of “Fins Bois” near Jarnac, tells us a  nice story started at the beginning of the last century when the  great grandfather came here, as many other persons from Vendée, a small region located north of our cognac area. Passion, courage, tough work, and determination to move forward are some  of the main characteristics of the Moine family. Each generation give to the following some keys to pursue.

This picture, an event in years 1910, shows the founder of the Moine family in cognac region. Prouds to work in vineyards without any smugness, they dressed up smartly in order to honour  the vineyards.

Nowadays,  the name “les Frères Moine” well known here,  come from the previous generation : François, the father, and Jean-Yves, the uncle of Yann and Gabriel. Winegrowers, they also created “le circuit du chêne” a touristic and pedagogic circuit to discover different know-how of the story of cognac : stavemill, cooperage, distillation…. Suffice it to say that this family, in full respect of the know how of cognac, pineau and wine elaboration,  is  game changer at each generation on surrounding subjects.

So art or wine ? Both absolutely answer together Yann and Gabriel. Why choose in fact ?

If you come and see you in Cognac region, may be for summer, don’t forget to meet them.

The Exhibition

Danielle Joubert :L’Eveil

Inspired by nature, she works with what she finds in her strolls ( Feather, stone, iron wire, driftwoods…)  to whom she gives a second life.

Jacques Taris:  Retour Blanc Project Configuration 8.

He explores numerous universes. Teacher in art-school and artist, he is inspired by figures and specially the Fibonacci figures, time, travels. He performs in land art too.