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A vineyard to vie with nature (New Zealand)

Far away, alone at the end of the world, an archipelago lies between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean: New Zealand. For 40 years, on the South Island, in the major wine-growing region of Marlborough, new pioneers have pulled off the daring gamble of growing vines. With nearly 17,000 hectares it is the largest wine-growing region in the country. Making wine in New Zealand means taking on a nature that is untamed and one that humans find hard to rival. And yet they succeed despite the problems of climate, the earthquakes and the ever-invading wild life.

The secret of the three valleys (Chile)

The Secret of the Three Valleys On the edges of the Atacama desert, the vines of the North Chilean valleys stretch away under the clearest skies in the world. Planted in the wake of the conquest of the continent and the gold diggers, these vineyards are exposed to extreme climatic and geographic conditions. Today, a number of wine growers are adopting unusual methods, a far cry from the large-scale production in the South.

An oasis at the foot of the Andes (Argentina)

In Mendoza, in Argentina, a miracle has been going on since the 19th century: a miracle that turns the snows of the Andes Cordillera into wine! Because in the greatest oasis in America, the vines only exist because of a unique system for sharing the waters from the melting of the snows of the glaciers of the Andes Cordillera. By using a network of more than 4,000 kilometers of canals that irrigate this entire dry region, Mendoza produces 95% of Argentina’s grapes and the country has risen to 5th place in the ranks of world wine producers. With global warming and the melting of the glaciers, the vast vineyards of Mendoza are now under threat and have to adapt.

Hegra: in the footsteps of the Nabataeans (Saudi Arabia)

In the Hijaz desert, in the north-west of Saudi Arabia, lies a mysterious ancient city called Hegra. Until recently, the site had never been thoroughly excavated.  In this region, considered to be one of the most arid in the world, ancient people have left their mark, carving hundreds of tombs into the rock. These vestiges are the signature of a legendary people called the Nabataeans. Lost in the middle of the desert, this lost necropolis had fallen into oblivion until UNESCO listed the site as World Heritage in 2008, prompting the Saudi government to launch major excavations. A team of Franco-Saudi archaeologists are now shedding light on these forgotten pre-Islamic vestiges. When and why did this city emerge in the middle of the desert? How powerful was it? And why was it abandoned? Scientists are finally able to answer these questions...

Yakoutia, a Siberian mystery (Siberia)

Yakutia - one of the coldest inhabited areas of the globe - extends beneath the polar circle to the east of Siberia. This land of extremes is home to a unique people whose origins were completely unknown until the recent discoveries of a team of archaeologists and geneticists. During wintertime in Yakutia, temperatures can reach -70° C, whereas in summer the thermometer regularly displays 30° C, 100° more than in winter! Yakuts are basically divided into two groups, which despite having their own language and culture, have lived together in this region for centuries. The northern Yakuts are largely nomadic reindeer hunters, while southern Yakuts raise cattle and horses. The former Yakuts have practically disappeared, while the latter has survived to the present day. Where do the Yakuts come from? How did they manage to survive in this land of ice? Archaeologists will tell us the story of a successful adaptation.

The Vines of Santorini, Legacy of Antiquity (Greece)

On the island of Santorini, the pearl of the Cyclades in Greece, a vine with a surprising shape has been thriving for thousands of years. It grows on the crust of ash from the volcano’s eruption 3,500 years ago and is still one of the few plants that can withstand the poverty of the soil and the violent winds from the sea. The vine grows along the ground and winegrowers weave it like baskets or nests in order to protect the precious grape. The vine stocks have exceptionally long lives and this is the only vineyard that completley survived phylloxera because of its volcanic soil. Today, this vineyard, one of the oldest in the world, still keeps the same methods of cultivation and the wines that are the legacy of antiquity. It is the child of the volcano and the sea.

Vines of the Western Conquest (USA)

Concentrated on a land of conquest, the Napa Valley region lies one hour from San Francisco. In the space of several years it has become the very center of prestige winegrowing in the United States, a promised land for the most ambitious and the wealthiest and one of the foremost winegrowing regions in the world. The spirit of the great American conquests rules over the domains. Mastering the land, high tech and the image all contribute to the creation of a winemaking that is in constant evolution and makes the United States the fourth largest wine producer in the world.

Prosecco, another story of Venice (Italy)

Some 50 miles north of Venice, between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbidadene, the foothills of the Dolomites form the heart of the Prosecco. A fine vineyard with steep slopes, the homeland of the wine that has conquered the world. Its huge commercial success is recent, almost instantaneous, but it is based upon a wine growing tradition that dates back for centuries. Prosecco has become the emblem of a region that, for centuries, people have proudly called the “marca gioiosa”, the joyful region. A name and a land that is written into the rich history of Venetian wine making.

The conquerors of the Douro valley (Portugal)

In a way they are both gold diggers and rock breakers… the winegrowers of the Douro are the only ones who have delved the secrets of Port wine, a symbol of Portugal throughout the world. For 2000 years, here and there along the more favorably exposed banks of this great river, men have laid out and planted vines on its steep, schist slopes. Portuguese winegrowers learned to live in this rocky, desert-like world and with the power of their arms they transformed it: the arid hillsides gave way to vast, pleasantly curving vineyards. We walk in the footsteps of Joao De Almeida, a vineyard owner from a long line of producers originating in the city of Porto. He will reveal the riches of this especial region and the deepest mysteries of the famous sweet wine.

The Great Book of the Aboriginals (Australia)

In the Dampier archipelago, in north-western Australia, archaeologists are deciphering one of the greatest books of history ever written by man. This rugged landscape, littered with hundreds of thousands of red rocks, was formed millions of years ago. Aborigines, the first humans to have inhabited Australia, have left their mark here, engraved in the stone. This unique heritage – a million motifs carved in the passing of time – is now threatened by industrialization that is gradually eroding this territory. For the past five years, archaeologists have been working to urgently decipher this great book of stone.

Lake Titicaca, the sea of the Tiwanaku (Peru)

In the heart of the Andes, Peru and Bolivia share one of the most sacred places in Latin America: Lake Titicaca. This immense water mirror, roughly the size of Corsica, was considered a sacred site by the Incas. In the 15th century, they made it the cradle of their civilisation, the sun’s place of birth. And yet, beneath the lake’s waters, lies a different story. A team of Belgian and Peruvian archaeologists are shedding light on the Tiwanaku, a great civilisation eclipsed by the Incas.

Fragrances of Antiquity (Italy)

In southern Italy, an archaeologist and a chemist are joining forces to achieve the impossible. They are bringing back to life the perfumes of Antiquity. A vestige so fragile it was thought to be lost for eternity. 2500 years ago, in the Mediterranean region, fragrance permeated every stage of life and guaranteed beauty, vitality, and success to the wearer. What did ancient perfumes smell like? What scents and essences did people appreciate the most? Until recently, answering these questions was deemed impossible. Today, thanks to scientific advances and the alliance of archeology and chemistry, it is now possible to rediscover these forgotten fragrances.