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Best Wine – Vintner’s Art: How Great Wines Are Made

Wineguy — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:00:14 +0000

Vintner’s Art: How Great Wines Are Made

The skills used in the making of wine are directly relevant to the consumer, for the choices made in the vineyard and in the winery are crucial to the quality of the end product. Here, for the first time, is a book that enlightens the wine lover on the “hows” and “whys” of the winemaker’s choices.

Today, winemakers have at their disposal an unprecedented array of opportunities to influence the way their wine will taste: science and technology have granted them creative power undreamt of only twenty years ago. Wine is no longer entirely the product of nature; it is a collaboration, and one in which the winemaker is becoming more and more the dominant partner.

The winemaker’s choices begin in the vineyard with the selection of the grape variety and the way it will be farmed. In the winery, every step poses questions, from crushing the grapes to bottling the wine. The sum total of the decisions taken by the winemaker is the taste of the wine in our glass, and this book explains how this taste is achieved.

Hugh Johnson and James Halliday explore this fast-moving new world, looking at the influence of tradition, the effects of modern technology, and the latest thinking of winemakers from every continent.

For everyone for whom a glass of wine is worth a moment’s reflection, this is an essential book. Beautiful, absorbing, and entertaining, The Vintner’s Art combines the best in wine writing with dramatic modern design, using graphics and superb photography.

Customer Review: Unique
There are four main sources of flavor in wine.
* The grape variety.
* The place where it is grown.
* The way in which it is grown
* The winemaking techniques used.

This valuable book is mostly about the last of these sources,
although there is a brief nod to vineyard management at the
beginning.

You could argue for any of these sources as the primary source
of wine’s flavor and could easily produce pairs of wines that
support your claim. Grape varieties, like apple varieties,
have different flavors. These differences become accentuated
when grape juice ferments into wine and produces or reveals
its unique set of acids, esters, and other flavor chemicals.

Vineyards have their own flavors, too. Apart from obvious
considerations like sun exposure and soil structure, we
know depressingly little about how this works. People who
own the vineyards that produce the best wines often make
a great deal of the unique contribution of their particular
patch of ground, and we can hardly blame them. “Them” in
this case is mostly the French, who use the word “terroir”
to express this influence. Many of these winemakers consider
their mission to be allowing their wine to `”express the
nature of the terroir” Incidentally, all the possible
jokes about “terroirists” have already been made.

The management of grape vines in order to optimize flavor
has been a realm of extreme conservativism until recently.
Peasant farmers are understandably reluctant to undertake
experiments when tradition is recognizeably safe.

Winemaking techniques expand, contract, or radically alter
the taste of wine. Some of these alterations – like
prolonged contact between the freshly crushed juice and
the grape skins or the choice of yeast – are in deliberate
service to the flavors they produce. Others, like filtration
and pasteurization, are driven by economic considerations
and have secondary-and sometimes unfortunate-flavor consequences.

It’s the discussion of this last area-a matter often hinted
at in other publications-that this book does so well. Taking
each of eight categories of wine, the book discusses the
winemaking choices that go into producing the characteristic
taste of that category. So we have chapters on:

Light-bodied Whites
Wooded and Full-bodied Whites
Sparkling
Sweet
Light-bodied Reds
Medium-bodied Reds
Full-bodied Reds
Fortified Wines

There is a brief section on the rôle of barrel storage,
but it’s far from complete.

The description of winemakers’ choices in this book
is clear, extensive and beautifully presented. Their
occasional snide remarks about New World winemaking should
be taken lightly as a bit of Euro-Austro provincialism.

Delightful reading for anyone who wants to know where
all those great tastes come from.

–Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the forthcoming novel bang BANG from Kunati Books.ISBN
9781601640005

Customer Review: Not merely a coffee-table book
I bought this book as a companion volume to my little home winemaking library and am very glad I did. The authors explain and illustrate very clearly the choices that winemakers make in response to, and to complement, what nature gives them: The Grape. Four stars because of the exclusive focus on “great” wines (far too expensive for you and I), which as Johnson freely admits, are as much a product of mystique, fame, and rarity as of winemaking practice. Also, the authors’ constant fawning over everything French at the expense of the rest of the world lessens the book’s value to someone interested in winemaking in California. Still, beautiful photography combined with clear illustrations and excellent, sharp writing make this a must read for the serious winelover interested in more than snobbery, or the amateur winemaker intent on improving his/her closet-full of cab.

Wrinkled Crinkled Grapes: A Purple Monster

Wineguy — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:00:10 +0000

Wrinkled Crinkled Grapes: A Purple Monster
Wrinkled Crinkled Grapes takes the reader to a land where monsters roam and sorcerers scheme. It is a tale of a charming young man who longs to leave his life of hardship on a small farm for a life of comfort in the royal court. When the king proclaims that any man may try for the hand of his daughter by attempting two challenges, the young man takes the opportunity. The first challenge is to get special grapes from an orchard guarded by a horrible purple monster. To insure success, the young man seeks the aid of an old sorcerer, but in doing so makes a promise that he cannot keep. The second challenge is one of wit and less of bravery. The young man must find a way to cook the special grapes in the king’s beloved bread. He is stumped as his charms cannot help him, but luckily he stumbles upon a solution. You will learn of the young man’s adventures and the lesson he learns. He strives for riches, but discovers true happiness comes from other means.

Customer Review: A Delightful Read…
(In the interest of full disclosure, yes, I am dating the author’s daughter…)

Well, my girlfriend went out of town for the weekend and I had to take care of the cats, and as I was petting Mabel & Milo (the cats) there it was sitting on the table looking at me… The book with the Purple Monster on the cover. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to take a quick look. Well, an hour later I had devoured it cover to cover, and it was in fact quite delightful! At first read one could blow it off as a nice little children’s story, but with further reflection one realizes that it is a story with a few key life lessons which we should all internalize. I think most children would find it a good read as it combines magic and wizardry with love, romance and danger! I would consider it a cross between Harry Potter and Dr. Seuss. A perfect book to read on one’s way to Grandma’s house.

Customer Review: One of the best Children’s book written
We have enjoyed reading this wonderful children’s book and would highly recommend it. Great reading, fun story, and wonderfully written. I have purchased many copies and intend to give them to all the children in our family.

`Enbe men Karmo Suryoyo (Bunches of Grapes from the Syriac Vineyard) – A Syriac Chrestomathy

Wineguy — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:00:18 +0000

`Enbe men Karmo Suryoyo (Bunches of Grapes from the Syriac Vineyard) – A Syriac Chrestomathy
This Chrestomathy includes selections from the best known Syriac authors as well as less familiar ones. Apart from short biographical introductions, the book includes grammatical annotations, and Syriac-English, English-Syriac glossaries. This publication is most welcome since the chrestomathies of the twentieth century have long been out of print.

First Day in Grapes (Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards))

Wineguy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:00:21 +0000

Savor the unique characteristics of Armagnac – Poughkeepsie Journal
That’s it. Also, you might recall that more grape brandy is produced than brandy from any other fruit, because grape wine is the most common. We covered cognac in the last article. Now we’ll venture south to somewhat less familiar territory

First Day in Grapes (Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards))
All year long, Chico’s family moves up and down the state of California to pick fruits and vegetables. Every September, Chico starts at a new school. Often, the other kids pick on him — maybe because he’s always new, or maybe because he speaks Spanish sometimes. But third grade promises to be different. He likes his teacher, and she recognizes his excellent abilities in math — he may even get to go to the math fair! When some fourth-grade bullies tease him, he surprises them with strengths of his own.

Customer Review: Started many conversations
I borrowed this book from another teacher to read to the students in my resource room (grades 2 – 5.) Many of these students are of Mexican descent, though none of them are from migrant families. The book inspired much conversation, particularly on the topics of standing up to bullies and supporting students that are victimized by bullies. Discussions continued and passages were reread. The book moved from desk to desk and hand to hand. I realized I needed to keep this finger-smudged and cover-wrinkled edition and return a brand new copy to its wise owner. This is a book you will be happy to add to your classroom library.

Customer Review: I love this book and my kids do too
I received this book as a gift for my children who are in the primary grades. The story resonated with me because I remember tutoring little migrant boys like this when I was in high school, boys who are smart but have trouble in school because of constant moves. My children enjoy this story because they can empathize with his troubles and how he is ultimaately able to outsmart the bullies without using his fists. They enjoy seeing his victory at the end. I like the fact that it builds compassion in them for children who face adversity every day. I recommend it.

Best Wine – He Said Beer, She Said Wine: Impassioned Food Pairings to Debate and Enjoy — From Burgers to Brie and Beyond

Wineguy — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:00:19 +0000

If you haven’t already, try a Finger Lakes Riesling – Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

If you haven't already, try a Finger Lakes Riesling
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Sweetness is a factor in how ripe the grape gets and how it is processed (or vinified) into wine. Any wine can be sweet if you let the grapes hang on the vine long enough. Even Chardonnay and Cabernet can make lusciously sweet ice wines. …

and more »

He Said Beer, She Said Wine: Impassioned Food Pairings to Debate and Enjoy — From Burgers to Brie and Beyond
He Said Beer, She Said Wine is the first fully illustrated book on the market to give in-depth instruction on how to successfully pair both beer and wine with a wide variety of foods. Co-authored by Marnie Old, an esteemed sommelier, and Sam Calagione, a successful brewmaster, He Said Beer, She Said Wine teaches you everything you need to know to get the best out of your beverages, with food or without. Each author divulges the secrets of their respective trades, using clear, easy-to-understand language and, of course, a little good-natured banter to keep things lively. The book is full of fantastic tips and tricks, specific beer and wine recommendations, and interactive elements to help you identify your preferences along the way. So, from cheese to dessert, you’ll always know what drinks to serve for sublime flavor combinations.

Conversation with Sam Calagione & Marnie Old
Authors of He Said Beer, She Said Wine

In your book, it seems like this beer vs. wine battle has been going on between you for quite some time. How did it all begin?

MARNIE: Sam and I first met when we were doing trade tastings. We got to talking and found we didn’t quite see eye-to-eye about which beverage was the best choice to partner with great food. We started playing around with arguing about which was better, and at a certain point decided we needed to take it to the public to settle the question. We began a series of dinners where our guests would enjoy a wine and a beer with the same course and cast a ballot to decide which partnered better. We called these dinners “Beer is from Mars, Wine is from Venus,” and they were tremendously popular.

SAM: I think it’s indicative of how close the worlds of beer and wine really are in the context of food, because every single night the winner was decided by a single course. And in every situation we had beer people voting for wine, and wine people voting for beer. We’re passionate about championing our respective beverage of choice, but one of our main goals is to make beer people more comfortable choosing wines, and wine people more comfortable understanding beer. And, to get both sides more comfortable understanding the breadth of choices within the two worlds.

In He Said Beer, She Said Wine, you give great tips for making beer and wine choices to go with everything from pizza to crème brulee. Can you offer some foolproof advice for choosing a bottle at our next meal?

MARNIE: The first tip is that if you’re enjoying it, it’s good. There’s a lot of discomfort, especially with wine, about ordering the “right” thing. That’s really not so important. It’s about doing what you enjoy. I couldn’t tell you whether you prefer key lime pie over chocolate cake, and yet people think that there’s a right choice and a wrong choice with wine. It’s more about what’s happening that day. What’s your mood? Is it summer or winter? Is it a special occasion, or is it a relaxed barbeque in the back yard? It’s better to think about wine as sauce on the side. We’d never put the same sauce on everything we eat, everyday. The same is true with beverages.

Sam, you mentioned that at the outset you were surprised to discover how much beer and wine actually have in common. How does beer compare to wine?

SAM: The major difference, of course, is that beer is better than wine. But, the simplest comparison would be to say that lagers are more like white wines, in that they’re more mellow and refined, and ales are more like red wines, in that they’re more robust and intense.

Does the rule of drinking white wine with seafood and red wine with red meat still apply?

MARNIE: Something we all have tremendously good instincts for is the idea of putting lighter, more delicate and more subtly flavored beverages with lighter, more delicate food. It’s also the first decision that any sommelier makes in pairing for a particular dinner. To say that as a hard and fast rule white wine should be paired with white meat and red wine with red meats is something that I think needs to be revisited. It’s a sound guideline, based in science and experience; however, it is possible to drink very well pairing white wines with red meats and red wines with fish. That said, there is a fundamental difference in the fermentation process that leads this pattern to be more or less true most of the time. Tannin, a property found in red wine, is something we feel on the palate as a tacky, drying sensation. That can lead to a bit of a challenge when pairing with low-fat dishes and seafood.

What makes cheese such a great beverage partner?

MARNIE: Most wines aren’t designed to impress you on the first sip. They’re designed to be food partners, to have their acidity softened by salt, and to have their intensity and tannin softened by fat. Cheese is dominated flavor-wise by fat and salt, the exact two properties that are needed to balance out wine.

SAM: As Marnie said, many wines weren’t designed to taste good on their first sip. On the other hand, beer is meant to taste great on the first sip, the second sip and the third pint. But, that doesn’t mean that it’s any less food-friendly. And, cheese is a great place to start. The carbonation in beer acts as an exfoliant. It clears the palate between bites, whereas wine without carbonation tends to bounce off the cheese and go down your throat without intermingling. The overlap in the world of cheese and beer is also really obvious. Wonderful beer producers like Chimay in Belgium make their own in-house cheese, and Maytag blue cheese is made by the Maytag family, who own the pioneering microbrewery Anchor in San Francisco.

Are there any foods that are notoriously difficult to pair with beverages?

MARNIE: Artichokes are challenging vegetables for the sommelier to work with. They’re also the darling of every chef from here to Hawaii. There’s a compound in artichokes that confuses taste buds into perceiving all flavor sensations as sweet. After you eat them, everything else tastes saccharine. There’s no question that wines don’t taste true to their real flavors when dealing with artichokes in high quantities. Certain wine styles can handle this better than others, though. Light-bodied, un-oaked white wines like Grüner Veltliner from Austria work particularly well.

SAM: I think it’s ironic that wine has all these Achilles heels, like artichokes and asparagus. There’s really no problem with these foods when it comes to beer. I’d pair artichokes with a dark, malt beer like a milk stout or porter. While artichokes don’t tend to work very well with the vegetal components of hoppy beers like pilsners or I.P.A.s, those beers would work well with asparagus.

Customer Review: Beverage lessons for us mere mortals
Accessible, an enjoyable read, and very informative. Wine snobs may sniff, but this book is aimed at those of us who enjoy wine and beer and know just enough to get us in trouble. We forget that only in recent years (and mostly in the US) has wine taken on an elitist air of sorts; for generations it has been an everyday beverage around the world, and this book makes you feel that both beer and wine deserve more frequent and prominent places at your table.

Customer Review: Love it! Informative And fun!!
I was surprised, at first, at the modern design of the book regarding mixed fonts and many pictures. It reminds me of how magazine and newspaper articles are formatted thought, so it feels very familiar and accessable to me. I like it.

This is a book that’s full of information. It would be easy to overwhelm a reader with knowledge all at once. The light style and gentle banter encourages me to read further on than I might if it resembled an encyclopedia in style. I will be keeping it around as a reference book as well as skimming through it for fun.

Both Marnie and Sam really know their stuff!

Compendium of Grape Disease (Disease Compendium Series of the American Phytopathological)

Wineguy — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:00:10 +0000

Grape Focaccia – New York Times
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling. 1. In a small skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Stir in 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. 2. Place 3/4 cup (177 grams) lukewarm water (105 to 115 degrees) in a large

Compendium of Grape Disease (Disease Compendium Series of the American Phytopathological)
Customer Review: The Picture Book of grapevine diesease
If you grow grapes, you’ll probably want to have a copy of this book. Nice color photographs of grapevine diseases, damage done by pesticides, and injury from climate. While the collection has a large number of pests and diseases covered, there are some issing, such as the grape cane girdler and grape cane gallmaker. The life cycle and discussion of each type of disease is somewhat useful, although most of the technical aspects of the diseases can probably be more appreciated by someone with a better understanding of biology. The book is a bit pricey, and most of the photographs of the diseases can be found on the Internet although it is convenient to have them all in one place.

Glass Grapes: and Other Stories (American Readers Series)

Wineguy — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:00:33 +0000

Water trust fund call – Land

Water trust fund call
Land
That's the view of McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism Association chairman, Dudley Brown, who believes politics should be moved away from the Basin debate and back into the hands of local communities. "The truth is there's always been plenty of water …

and more »

Glass Grapes: and Other Stories (American Readers Series)

Glass Grapes and Other Stories is the first full-length collection of short stories by distinguished poet and fiction writer Martha Ronk. Ronk’s work has garnered critical accolades and numerous awards, including, most recently, a 2005 PEN USA Award in poetry, a 2007 NEA Fellowship, and a 2007 National Poetry Series Award. Glass Grapes is a collection of short, experimental stories, usually dominated by an object imbued with fetishistic qualities by an obsessive, self-involved narrator. The language of these stories is repetitive, provocative, imagistic, occasionally comic, and unnerving. Ronk’s fiction moves with the same grace, beauty, and attention to language as her most accomplished poetry.

Customer Review: stunning
The writing matches the perceptive and sensitive tracking of contemporary precariousness — in relationships, landscapes both real and remembered, and our attempts at survival. The author is witty without being condescending, empathetic without being sentimental. I’ll never look at objects… or objectification in quite the same way. Her discipline as a poet doesn’t so much relax into narrative as it expands; it becomes more muscular. Highly recommended.

The Grapes Grow Sweet: A Child’s First Family Grape Harvest

Wineguy — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:00:27 +0000

Visit a Vermont winery this weekend. – Boston Globe
The event is the second statewide event promoted by the members of the Vermont Grape & Wine Council. Activities will vary from vineyard to vineyard, so visitors are encouraged to contact participating properties directly to see what’s happening when.

Family farm converted to county’s second winery – Trumann Democrat
She is also the chairwoman of the Cold Climate Grape & Wine Conference. In 2007, the vineyard idea resurfaced during a family dinner. The couple’s nine children – Paul has five and Terri has four – were supportive but didn’t take their parents’ vineyard

The Grapes Grow Sweet: A Child’s First Family Grape Harvest
Winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award

For the first time, four-year-old Julian is old enough to take part in the grape harvest on his family’s vineyard. Through Julian’s wonder, The Grapes Grow Sweet offers a captivating glimpse of growing up on a family vineyard in wine country. Readers follow the development of the grape from bloom to harvest, and see up close the animal and plant life of the vineyard.

Customer Review: The Grapes Grow Sweet
My son received this book as a birthday present when he was five years old. He was fascinated by the story and beautiful pictures. Since we live in the wine country, and watch the “grapes grow sweet” in real life, it was wonderful to have such a wonderful book to read. Now that he is eleven, he reads it to my grandson who is equally enchanted, and asks us to read it each time he visits.

Customer Review: I use it in my classroom!
As a resident of northern California I enjoy reading “The Grapes Grow Sweet” to my daughter, which describes a fall grape harvest from the perspective of a young boy growing up in a family vineyard. I am also a school teacher and use the book in my classroom. Many of my students have family members who are farm workers so they have background knowledge of life in a vineyard and can relate to the story being told. We spend a few days in my class each fall completing an integrated thematic unit that includes reading, descriptive writing and art. We finish the unit by bringing in different foods made with grapes that we can eat in class. Typically we have grape juice, grape jelly, raisins, grapes, etc. It is easily adaptable to the state standards and has amazing water color art that inspires the children to create their own works of art! The text offers descriptive writing samples to students by describing the pale green leaves, rattling, roaring tractor, shiny bunch of grapes, bouncing jackrabbit and sunbathing lizard. I look forward to fall each year and the opportunity to read “The Grapes Grow Sweet” with a new group of students.

Bar Wine – The Home Winemaker’s Companion: Secrets, Recipes, and Know-How for Making 115 Great-Tasting Wines

Wineguy — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:00:22 +0000

Why Do Russians Hate Ice? – New York Times Blogs
Most Westerners would agree, he argued, that beer, wine and vodka don’t go with ice. He also pointed out that in the years before, and immediately following, glasnost, Russia did not have a cocktail-mixing tradition. I was almost convinced, but then his

Merritt Estate Wines Win Awards – Post-Journal
Out of 3,094 medals awarded, 153 wines received the double gold. Merritt Estate Winery’s Bella Ice received the award while the also winery took home two additional medals from the competition. Edelweiss, a sweet and fruity white with a flowery aroma and a

The Home Winemaker’s Companion: Secrets, Recipes, and Know-How for Making 115 Great-Tasting Wines
A complete reference for the home winemaker. From getting started with the very first batch to advanced techniques for making wines from grapes, this book covers it all. Includes detailed instructions and helpful hints for using concentrates, kits, juices, fruits, and herbs to create a wide variety of homemade wines.

Customer Review: Fill these Pages Please
This book could be reduced to one half or one third pages. The ’115 great tasting’ wines part of this book is essentially a repetition of the same basic formula over and over with only a few wines with some variation from one to the next. Basic operations are described, but I was hoping for a bit more of fine pointers. It is a good starter basic book. But save a few trees and streamline at the risk of looking like there is no content, or add some.

Customer Review: Best Beginners Book Out There
As a newcomer to home winemaking I found this book to be well organized, well writen and informative. It has all the details necessary to do the job properly without being overly technical. The author has a list of all the necessary equipment and a list of things that are “nice to have.” I did some research on the author and he is recognized as one of the premier wine experts in the country.

The Grape Cure

Wineguy — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 22:00:12 +0000

Federal judge awards nearly $680K in fees to wine association – Daily Business Review
The state law allowed only wineries that produce 30,000 gallons or less of grape wine per year to sell directly to Massachusetts consumers. In January 2010, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the that the law violated the Constitution’s commerce clause

The Grape Cure
Customer Review: Personal Experience
In 1992, my doctor told me that I would have to endure another ‘set’ of Silver Nitrate treatments for my bladder problem. (It was not cancer.) The first ‘set’ of six treatments and the second ‘set’ of eight treatments had not worked. My bladder condition was getting worse. These treatments were very painful, so I refused to have any more done. My stepmother suggested I go to a health food store to see if they had any ideas on what I could do naturally to cure my bladder problems. They suggested I read The Grape Cure. After reading it, I sent it to my stepmother. She advised that I carefully wash the grapes and not stay on the diet for too long, but since I did not have diabetes there shouldn’t be anything in grapes that would harm me for a short period even though they are high in sugar. I followed the instructions in the book, peeling the grapes in the beginning and never eating over a certain amount. For nearly 3 months, I ate nothing but grapes. I have never had trouble with my bladder since. I felt great and even lost 40 pounds. Although I know this book isn’t for everyone, I do know that it worked for me. Eating nothing but grapes for so long may not be a good idea for everyone, but it did cure me. I wonder if the doctor that so vehemently criticized this book has actually tried it.

Customer Review: Grape Cure
Good book! Would share with any and everyone even today. Alternate aid is the way to go.