Q&A WITH CAMILLA GJERDE, AUTHOR OF WE DON'T WANT ANY CRAP IN OUR WINE

Why have you written this book when there are already so many books on natural wine?
My dream was to write the book I had wanted to read but hadn’t found. About women in wine. Nearly all the producers I had read about in natural wine books – and other wine books for that matter – were men. What I wanted was a book about some of my favourite producers, who happen to be women. I wanted to dig deeper into what drives natural wine producers to do what they do, to go on, despite the hardships, despite being outsiders. The nine women included in this book have made their life choices consciously. They do what is meaningful to them, even if it is hard, risky and generates less profit.

Who should read your book?
It is a must-read for all natural wine lovers. And for all wine lovers. This book is right up your street if you’re into honest portraits that take you behind the scenes, where the winemakers punch down the grapes with their hands while the rain is pattering on the roof. And if you love stories about people who make brave decisions to follow their dreams and passions. Moreover, the book is filled with beautiful photos of people and places that give you the sense of being there, with the winemaker, in the vineyard and in the winery, and that give you the urge to travel and meet them in person.

You have traveled in Europe by train, with a foldable bike – why?
It’s simple: to honour the ethos behind natural wine. Natural wine to me is all about respecting nature, trying to mend what has been broken. I have stopped flying because of the climate crisis and I love biking. My Brompton bike is always with me when I travel, making it easy to get from the train station to wherever I want to go.

More about the author: 

CAMILLA GJERDE is a passionate natural wine lover. Ever since her first sip of Arianna Occhipinti’s Il Frappato in 2008, she has explored the world of natural wine; drinking, visiting winegrowers and wine fairs, taking courses. Over the years, she has covered the basics of wine through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust and holds a Diploma in Wine. But what matters most to her is the passion and the person behind the wine. Camilla has a PhD in Political Science, and her interest in outsiders is the link between her political research and her passion for natural winegrowers. We Don’t Want Any Crap in Our Wine is her first book.

Find Camilla´s book "We Don’t Want Any Crap in Our Wine – The women behind the bottle." in our online shop.