M. CHAPOUTIER celebrates the bicentenary of French Braille
M. CHAPOUTIER celebrates the bicentenary of French Braille
M. CHAPOUTIER's life
11 March 2025
M. CHAPOUTIER celebrates the bicentenary of French Braille
To mark the bicentenary of braille, Maison M. CHAPOUTIER is unveiling a limited edition of its flagship wine, Monier de la Sizeranne. To celebrate this event, it is organising an immersive tasting in collaboration with the Valentin Haüy association in mid-March. This unique experience will focus on the senses of touch and Taste.
(Re)discover Monier de la Sizeranne, the iconic wine from Maison M. CHAPOUTIER, and dive into the history of Braille in this article.
A look back at Monier de la Sizeranne, AOP Hermitage
This emblematic red wine from Maison M. CHAPOUTIER comes from the Hermitage appellation, one of the most prestigious in the Rhône Valley. This wine is made exclusively from Syrah, a noble grape variety that expresses itself here with remarkable intensity.
Its Terroir, made up of a variety of soils combining fluvio-glacial alluvium and granite, gives it great aromatic complexity and structure. Faithful to the principles of biodynamic viticulture, Maison M. CHAPOUTIER favours viticulture that respects living organisms, with manual harvesting to ensure rigorous selection of the grapes.
On tasting, the wine reveals a deep garnet-red colour, heralding a wine of character. On the nose, it expresses aromas of ripe black fruit, with hints of spice, liquorice and flowers, the typical signature of Syrah on this Terroir. With age, more complex notes of leather and cocoa develop, giving it great depth.
On the palate, the attack is full and elegant, with silky tannins and good concentration. The balance between power and finesse is remarkable, offering long-lasting aromas and superb ageing potential. This wine is ideal with grilled red meats, game or mature cheeses.
Designed for laying down, this Hermitage can evolve for 10 to 15 years, developing even more fascinating richness and complexity over time. An exceptional wine, a testament to the expertise and excellence of Maison M. CHAPOUTIER.
Monier de la Sizeranne is an iconic wine for the Maison M. CHAPOUTIER, not least because it was the first to be labelled in Braille...
The birth of braille, by Louis Braille
Braille takes its name from its inventor, Louis Braille.
Louis Braille became blind at the age of 3. It was in 1825 that he invented Braille, which was in fact a simplification of a system of raised dots already used by the army. In 1825, he drew inspiration from a system of ‘nocturnal sonography’, a system of raised dots that made it possible to read without light and whose use was intended for the army, to create Braille writing. This system is a simplification of the nocturnal sonography system, reducing it to just 6 dots, making it simpler and more effective. In standard Braille, each character is made up of six dots spread over two columns, with one to six raised dots to distinguish it.
In 1854, 2 years after Louis Braille's death, his system was officially adopted by the Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles in France, before spreading throughout the world. Today, Braille is used in more than 130 languages, each adapted to its own alphabet. And as well as the alphabet, embossed writing can also be used to read numbers and punctuation.
Braille celebrates its 200th anniversary this year. It is used every day by visually impaired people for reading books, signage and education, for example. This anniversary is an opportunity for Maison M. CHAPOUTIER to highlight its close links with French Braille.
Braille at M. CHAPOUTIER
A bold choice: inclusive labels translated into abbreviated Braille
Since 1996, Michel Chapoutier has included Braille on its bottle labels, making its wines accessible to the visually impaired. This is part of its commitment to inclusion. This initiative was one of the first in the wine industry to integrate Braille to offer a more inclusive experience of wine.
On each label, the name of the wine, its appellation, vintage and colour are translated into Braille. The emphasis is on essential information to ensure optimum accessibility for blind and partially sighted people, without overloading the bottle.
Maurice Monier de la Sizeranne, inventor of abbreviated Braille
The use of raised writing on the labels of M. CHAPOUTIER wines honours a heritage: the link between the Monier de la Sizeranne and Chapoutier families. The Monier de la Sizeranne family owned a parcel of land in Hermitage, which the Chapoutier family acquired at the beginning of the 20th century. Maurice Monier de la Sizeranne, who founded the Valentin Haüy association, also created the first abbreviated version of Braille in 1882.
Maurice Monier de la Sizeranne lost his sight at the age of 9. Passionate about improving accessibility for the blind, he worked on abbreviated Braille to make writing more practical. In 1882, he published L'Abrégé orthographique français. His aim was to optimise Braille for more effective use in the daily lives of blind people, by making reading and writing easier. He also initiated several projects to promote the social and professional integration of visually impaired people.
By incorporating Braille, Michel Chapoutier is paying tribute to this important figure in the history of Braille, while at the same time opening access to wine to everyone, regardless of sight. This gesture symbolises sharing and inclusion, in the spirit of making wine accessible to all.
An event to celebrate the bicentenary of Braille
An immersive and inclusive blind tasting!
On Thursday 13 March, to mark the occasion, the Maison M. CHAPOUTIER welcomed 10 blind and partially sighted members of the Valentin Haüy Association, based in Lyon. During the day, they had the opportunity to discover the Maison M. CHAPOUTIER vineyard.
The tour was followed by an immersive tasting designed to awaken the senses and encourage the sharing of experiences. Each participant was paired with a sighted person. As Braille is not easy to read, the aim was to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by blind and partially sighted people. To achieve this, each pair of sighted people was invited to put themselves in a visually impaired situation, to fully enjoy this unique sensory experience and develop a new perception of the wine and its environment.
The participation of Grégoire Bouchetout, tourist guide
Grégoire Bouchetout is a tour guide who has been blind since birth. A pioneer in his field, he was the first to lead groups on hiking trails adapted for visually impaired and blind people. Thanks to his experience and specific training, he has developed an innovative approach to making walks accessible through sensory descriptions and the use of tactile markers. His initiative paves the way for greater inclusion of people with disabilities in outdoor activities. Grégoire was able to guide the group through the Hermitage vineyards.
The Valentin Haüy Association, promoting the inclusion of blind and partially sighted people
The Valentin Haüy Association (AVH), founded in 1889 by Maurice Monier de la Sizeranne, works for the inclusion of visually impaired people. It offers a wide range of services: advocacy, vocational training, promotion of Braille, help with independence and access to culture. The association also offers cultural, sporting and leisure activities, and promotes accessibility in transport and public spaces. It supports blind people through training, employment and access to specialist equipment.
With regard to the Maison M. CHAPOUTIER, the association's role is to proofread the labels printed by the Maison's printers.
