My name is Gert Crum.

I trained as a sociologist and even worked as university lecturer for a while, but that was a long time ago.

At some point it had to happen… I had to follow my passion, which is wine.

For over 35 years I have been following the wine trade, visiting various viticultural areas around the world and their producers. I am interested in all good wines, wherever they come from, but I have pledged my heart to French wines. I write about Burgundy and Champagne in particular. A fine example is my book ‘Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’, internationally awarded and translated into five languages.

“My latest book to appear is about Champagne.”

This book is available both in English and in Dutch, as a hard copy book, but perhaps even more importantly, as an interactive book. It includes beautiful photography by Jan Bartelsman. In the interactive book, all (and I mean all) digital options come together. The reader can click, scroll, zoom, listen, watch, make contact through various links and so on.

“There are about 25 digital maps based on the French cadastre, which may be of particular interest.”

With these maps one can see the Champagne vineyards through Burgundian eyes. All the local lieux-dits (single vineyards) of relevance can be studied. The book follows these topical developments closely, because more and more champagnes are brought to market as monocrus (Aÿ, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Ambonnay and Cumières for example) or even as champagnes parcellaires (single vineyard wines). Good examples of these are Joseph Perrier’s Blanc de Noirs, Cumières’ Premier Cru ‘La Côte à Bras’ 2008 Brut Nature, Emmanuel Brochet’s Villers-aux-Noeuds Premier Cru Le Mont Benoît Extra Brut or Jacquesson’s Avize Grand Cru Champ Caïn Extra Brut 2005.

“As a result, this interactive book provides a comprehensive digital reading experience for Champagne and its champagnes.”