Cycling. They cycle from Beaune to Barolo, Italy, to fight Lou Gehrig's disease.

With a 327-year history and a team of over 300 people, Berry Bros & Rudd is one of England's oldest wine and spirits companies. A team of importers with locations in vineyards around the world, Adam Bruntlett (second from the right in the photo) is one of the representatives in Burgundy. On the morning of Thursday, September 11, the professional didn't come to test his palate with vintages of local nectars, but to launch a five-day journey between France and Italy, in the courtyard of Benjamin Leroux's estate, not far from the city center of Beaune.

“Seven years ago, Davy Zyw, one of our colleagues who is a wine buyer in Italy, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease ( Motor Neurone Disease , or MND) when he was only 30 years old. After a few cycling challenges in Scotland, we organized a bike trip from London to Champagne in 2023. For the occasion, we rode 325 miles (523 km), the same number of years Berry Bros has been in existence. Davy had already invited Italian winemakers to join us, and later, he suggested going from Beaune to Barolo,” explains Adam, croissant in one hand and coffee in the other, dressed like a Tour de France cyclist.

While winemaking is in full swing at the Beaune winemaker , who was waiting for the last grapes of a vintage whose harvest extends over nearly three weeks, 17 riders set off on the roads of the south-east, two-thirds importers and one-third winemakers from Italy. To reach the town of Barolo, in Piedmont, they will have to cover 600 km accompanied by 8,000 m of elevation gain on the formidable Alpine roads. "We will climb four famous passes: the Télégraphe, the Galibier, the Izoard and the Agnel. Davy was with us two years ago, but unfortunately, with his illness, he is weakened, particularly in the cervical area. At the same time, he is trying to qualify for the Winter Olympics in snowboarding, and has just broken his shoulder," sighs Adam Bruntlett, visibly impressed by the perseverance of his sick colleague.

Over the past two years, Berry Bros & Rudd has raised over £600,000 for the charity My Name'5 Doddie , which is fighting to eradicate Lou Gehrig's disease in Britain. The company's goal is to reach £1 million in donations by the end of the year. The Ride for MND initiative is one of the key initiatives in the fight against this condition, which gradually robs sufferers of their muscles and limbs.