Galet, Pierre (1921– ), father of modern ampelography based in montpellier. Galet was born in Monaco and his upbringing in the Mediterranean climate of southern France undoubtedly helped to prepare him for a life spent outside surrounded by vines. Galet’s working life was devoted to the science of describing and identifying vine varieties on the basis of minute botanical observation—an expertise he perfected while hiding from German occupation authorities in the international Vitis collection in the grounds of the Department of Viticulture at Montpellier. From 1946 to 1989, Galet was part of an elite teaching group that included Jean Branas, Denis Boubals, and François Champagnol at ENSA Montpellier, regarded as the national, if not international, centre of viticultural academe. He taught thousands, including Paul Truel, whose own work based at Montpellier has been of worldwide significance, and Jean-Michel Boursiquot, who has succeeded him. Other acolytes include Lucie Morton, who translated some of his work into English for successful publication in the United States, Umberto Camargo in Brazil, Erika Maul Dettweiler in Germany, and Anna Schneider in Italy.
