On California
From Napa to Nebbiolo... Wine Tales from the Golden State
Published on 13. October 2021
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-913141-20-2 (ISBN)
Description
"A standout among the drink books published this year, which ought to be on the Christmas list of every wine lover, even if they don't think they have much interest in American wine." -Victoria Moore, The Telegraph
"This is a book for novices and geeks interested in the significance of California through America's wine history, from the swashbuckling era of Agoston Haraszthy through modern Napa's cult cabernets and today's despair over wildfires and drought." -David McIntyre, Washington Post
"New York Times picks On California for their "This Year's Best Wine Books": ". Its short selections from nearly three dozen writers offer impressionistic, thought-provoking views of the state and its winemaking history."-New York Times
"There is something for everyone here." -Sommelier India
On California explores the grapes and the people who have made California wine great. The pioneers, the boffins, the whizz-kids and scientists, many of whom tell their stories on its pages - some in precious archive material, others have set down their thoughts mid-pandemic in 2021: Randall Grahm, Gerald Asher, Steven Spurrier, Paul Draper and Warren Winiarski take a bow....
Includes:
California wine and the future: where will the 'California spirit' lead next?
The 'Hollywood Grape': our authors chart the path of Cabernet Sauvignon, from the wish-list of Thomas Jefferson to the hallowed hillsides of Stag's Leap and Screaming Eagle
1976? Of course it was a competition! Steven Spurrier and Patricia Gallagher look back at the motivations behind the famous Paris wine tasting
Top New York sommelier Victoria James tells of her near-death introduction to the whacky world of winemaking in Sonoma
Will the real Zinfandel please stand up? Paul Draper seeks out the true heritage of California's versatile orphan grape
Contributions from top California writers: Elaine Chukan Brown, Mary Margaret McCamic MW, Karen MacNeil, Esther Mobley, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Liz Thach MW, Clare Tooley MW, and Kelli White
Hugh Johnson, Jane Anson and Fiona Morrison MW introduce California's intrepid wine pioneers
Rex Pickett's Sideways heroes, Jack and Miles, clink glasses over the Central Coast's finest Pinot Noir
A-Z: from 'Bob' Mondavi to Xylem sap-sensors and pink Zinfandel - California wine in bite-size
"This is a book for novices and geeks interested in the significance of California through America's wine history, from the swashbuckling era of Agoston Haraszthy through modern Napa's cult cabernets and today's despair over wildfires and drought." -David McIntyre, Washington Post
"New York Times picks On California for their "This Year's Best Wine Books": ". Its short selections from nearly three dozen writers offer impressionistic, thought-provoking views of the state and its winemaking history."-New York Times
"There is something for everyone here." -Sommelier India
On California explores the grapes and the people who have made California wine great. The pioneers, the boffins, the whizz-kids and scientists, many of whom tell their stories on its pages - some in precious archive material, others have set down their thoughts mid-pandemic in 2021: Randall Grahm, Gerald Asher, Steven Spurrier, Paul Draper and Warren Winiarski take a bow....
Includes:
California wine and the future: where will the 'California spirit' lead next?
The 'Hollywood Grape': our authors chart the path of Cabernet Sauvignon, from the wish-list of Thomas Jefferson to the hallowed hillsides of Stag's Leap and Screaming Eagle
1976? Of course it was a competition! Steven Spurrier and Patricia Gallagher look back at the motivations behind the famous Paris wine tasting
Top New York sommelier Victoria James tells of her near-death introduction to the whacky world of winemaking in Sonoma
Will the real Zinfandel please stand up? Paul Draper seeks out the true heritage of California's versatile orphan grape
Contributions from top California writers: Elaine Chukan Brown, Mary Margaret McCamic MW, Karen MacNeil, Esther Mobley, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Liz Thach MW, Clare Tooley MW, and Kelli White
Hugh Johnson, Jane Anson and Fiona Morrison MW introduce California's intrepid wine pioneers
Rex Pickett's Sideways heroes, Jack and Miles, clink glasses over the Central Coast's finest Pinot Noir
A-Z: from 'Bob' Mondavi to Xylem sap-sensors and pink Zinfandel - California wine in bite-size
Reviews / Votes
"The Academie du Vin Library is an important publication of wine literature... every work is a must for wine lovers." - Weinseller Journal "A standout among the drink books published this year, which ought to be on the Christmas list of every wine lover, even if they don't think they have much interest in American wine." - Victoria Moore, The Telegraph "This is a book for novices and geeks interested in the significance of California through America's wine history, from the swashbuckling era of Agoston Haraszthy through modern Napa's cult cabernets and today's despair over wildfires and drought." - David McIntyre, Washington Post New York Times picks On California for their "This Year's Best Wine Books": "Its short selections from nearly three dozen writers offer impressionistic, thought-provoking views of the state and its winemaking history." - New York Times "Although 2021 robbed us of the great Steven Spurrier, his legacy lives on through, amongst many other things, the Academie du Vin Library, a publishing project he revived in the last years of his life. On California is a formidable compilation of essays from British writers on all things California." - Ines Salpico, Decanter "There is something for everyone here." - Sommelier India "Reading this book provides a lot of both pleasure and learning, a combination not to be sniffed at." - The World of Fine WineMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
13 Illustrations, black and white; 113 Illustrations, color
Dimensions
Height: 249 mm
Width: 196 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
1039 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-913141-20-2 (9781913141202)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Susan Keevil started her life in wine as a 'cellar rat' cooling Chardonnays in Australia's Hunter Valley, none of which prepared her for the world of book publishing back in the UK where she honed her wine knowledge working with Hugh Johnson on six editions of his international best-seller, the Pocket Wine Book. Susan then landed her dream job as editor of Decanter magazine (the path to many worldwide wine adventures) and later became author of the Which? Guide to Wine as well as a regular magazine columnist and contributor. The launch of the Academie du Vin Library in 2019 saw a return to specialist wine books for which Susan is a writer and editor-in-chief.
Content
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
PREFACE
MAP
1 ON THE CUSP OF DISCOVERY...
2 UP THE COAST... SONOMA AND BEYOND
3 1976: WHAT CHANGED? (THE PRICES, CERTAINLY
4 FIRE, DROUGHT, PESTILENCE AND DESPAIR
5 ANYTHING BUT CABERNET!
6 BRAINS, BOFFINS, WHIZZ-KIDS AND SCHOLARS
7 BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS
A - Z OF CALIFORNIA WINE
8 TERROIR... THE DIRT MATTERS!
9 IN A RUSH FOR NEW GOLD
ON CALIFORNIA, THE CAST
INDEX
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
PREFACE
MAP
1 ON THE CUSP OF DISCOVERY...
2 UP THE COAST... SONOMA AND BEYOND
3 1976: WHAT CHANGED? (THE PRICES, CERTAINLY
4 FIRE, DROUGHT, PESTILENCE AND DESPAIR
5 ANYTHING BUT CABERNET!
6 BRAINS, BOFFINS, WHIZZ-KIDS AND SCHOLARS
7 BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS
A - Z OF CALIFORNIA WINE
8 TERROIR... THE DIRT MATTERS!
9 IN A RUSH FOR NEW GOLD
ON CALIFORNIA, THE CAST
INDEX
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS