Praise for Thomas Pinney's "A History of Wine in America" "Exhaustively researched. . ..invaluable to serious scholars of the grape. Fascinating reading." --"San Francisco Chronicle" "Revealing a sharp eye for detail and a dry, low-key wit, Pinney writes in an engaging style and with remarkable clarity." --"Wine Spectator" "Definitive. . ..an important work of historical literature." --"Wine & Spirits" "An indispensable view of. . .a remarkable time." --"Decanter"
Grab your glass and take to the wine trail with food genealogist Sherry Monahan as she traces the roots of "California's Vines, Wines & Pioneers." While cowboys and early settlers were writing the oft-told history of the Wild West, California's wine pioneers were cultivating a delicious industry. The story begins when Franciscan missionaries planted the first grapes in Southern California in 1769. Almost a century later, news of gold drew thirsty prospectors and European immigrants to California's promise of wealth. From Old World vines sprang a robust and varied tradition of wine cultivation that overcame threats of pests and Prohibition to win global prestige. Journey with Monahan as she uncorks this vintage history and savors the stories of California's historic wineries and vineyards.
A History of Wine in America is the definitive account of winemaking in the United States, first as it was carried out under Prohibition, and then as it developed and spread to all fifty states after the repeal of Prohibition. Engagingly written, exhaustively researched, and rich in detail, this book describes how Prohibition devastated the wine industry, the conditions of renewal after Repeal, the various New Deal measures that affected wine, and the early markets and methods. Thomas Pinney goes on to examine the effects of World War II and how the troubled postwar years led to the great wine boom of the late 1960s, the spread of winegrowing to almost every state, and its continued expansion to the present day. The history of wine in America is, in many ways, the history of America and of American enterprise in microcosm. Pinney's sweeping narrative comprises a lively cast of characters that includes politicians, bootleggers, entrepreneurs, growers, scientists, and visionaries. Pinney relates the development of winemaking in states such as New York and Ohio; its extension to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas, and other states; and its notable successes in California, Washington, and Oregon. He is the first to tell the complete and connected story of the rebirth of the wine industry in California, now one of the most successful winemaking regions in the world.
California is the nation's great vineyard, supplying grapes for most of the wine produced in the United States. The state is home to more than 700 wineries, and California's premier wines are recognized throughout the world. But until now there has been no comprehensive guide to California wine and winemaking. Charles L. Sullivan's A Companion to California Wine admirably fills that gap—here is the reference work for consumers, wine writers, producers, and scholars. Sullivan's encyclopedic handbook traces the Golden State's wine industry from its mission period and Gold Rush origins down to last year's planting and vintage statistics. All aspects of wine are included, and wine production from vine propagation to bottling is described in straightforward language. There are entries for some 750 wineries, both historical and contemporary; for more than 100 wine grape varieties, from Aleatico to Zinfandel; and for wine types from claret to vermouth—all given in a historical context. In the book's foreword the doyen of wine writers, Hugh Johnson, tells of his own forty-year appreciation of California wine and its history. "Charles Sullivan's Companion," he adds, "will provide the grist for debate, speculation, and reminiscence from now on. With admirable dispassion he sets before us just what has happened in the plot so far."
Winner, TopShelf Magazine Book Awards Historical Non-fiction Finalist, Northern California Book Awards General Non-Fiction Look. Smell. Taste. Judge. Crush is the 200-year story of the heady dream that wines as good as the greatest of France could be made in California. A dream dashed four times in merciless succession until it was ultimately realized in a stunning blind tasting in Paris. In that tasting, in the year of America's bicentennial, California wines took their place as the leading wines of the world. For the first time, Briscoe tells the complete and dramatic story of the ascendancy of California wine in vivid detail. He also profiles the larger story of California itself by looking at it from an entirely innovative perspective, the state seen through its singular wine history. With dramatic flair and verve, Briscoe not only recounts the history of wine and winemaking in California, he encompasses a multidimensional approach that takes into account an array of social, political, cultural, legal, and winemaking sources. Elements of this history have plot lines that seem scripted by a Sophocles, or Shakespeare. It is a fusion of wine, personal histories, cultural, and socioeconomic aspects. Crush is the story of how wine from California finally gained its global due. Briscoe recounts wine’s often fickle affair with California, now several centuries old, from the first harvest and vintage, through the four overwhelming catastrophes, to its amazing triumph in Paris.
In the same series as Assouline’s original The Impossible Collection of Wine: The 100 Most Exceptional Vintages of the Twentieth Century this addition to the Ultimate Collection envisions a cellar brimming with the most remarkable American wines. The Impossible Collection of Wine: The 100 Most Exceptional and Collectible American Wines highlights wines from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries produced by the finest vineyards. Celebrating vintages from the legendary 1964 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour to the more recent yet striking 2010 Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs, this collection reflects all the diversity and beauty that American wine has to offer. Author Enrico Bernardo, Best Sommelier of the World 2004, explores the world of endless surprises that wine has to offer, as well as the joy and memories that it can bring to all those who appreciate it. Including wines from Napa to Walla Walla Valley, the selection takes into account rarity, terroir, taste, and historical mystique. Bernardo celebrates the most exquisite vintages, inviting the reader on a journey through the unique history of American wine, from its beginnings with the Founding Fathers to the momentous Judgment of Paris and the distinct Napa Valley culture of today. Bringing readers on a journey from 1955 to 2016, Bernardo curates a list any connoisseur could only dream of.
A comprehensive guide to the must-know wines and producers of California's "new generation," and the story of the iconoclastic young winemakers who have changed the face of California viniculture in recent years. The New California Wine is the untold story of the California wine industry: the young, innovative producers who are rewriting the rules of contemporary winemaking; their quest to express the uniqueness of California terroir; and the continuing battle to move the state away from the overly-technocratic, reactionary practices of its recent past. Jon Bonné writes from the front lines of the California wine revolution, where he has access to the fascinating stories, philosophies, and techniques of top producers. Part narrative, part authoritative purchasing reference, The New California Wine is a necessary addition to any wine lover's bookshelf.
"Pinney covers new ground and new research, and treats the entire period in a new way. [History of Wine in America] will be welcomed by scholars and by wine enthusiasts."—Dr. James Lapsley, University of California, Davis "A worthy successor to Pinney's landmark History of Wine in America: From the Beginnings to Prohibition, and like that volume evidencing a wealth of knowledge, presented with grace and style. In addition to telling fascinating stories, both of these books are invaluable references. Anyone interested in the history of American wine should read them."—Paul Lukacs, author of American Vintage: The Rise of American Wine "I am confident the term definitive will apply to this work for innumerable vintages to come. Wine lovers from New England to California now have one place to turn for the history of their favorite beverage, wherever in America its grapes are grown."—Charles L. Sullivan, author of A Companion to California Wine and Zinfandel "An essential reference book for anyone wishing to sound authoritative at the dinner table."—Bruce Cass, editor of The Oxford Companion to the Wines of North America
