Dreamers of the Valley of Plenty: A Portrait of the Napa Valley [Hardcover]

Cheryll Aimee Barron (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1995

This rich evocation of California's Napa Valley tells the story of a region mythologized but rarely understood, its cosmopolitian inhabitants, and the glories of its fabled vineyards and wines, now acknowledged as the finest in the world. 16-page photo insert. Map.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Examining the cosmopolitan culture of the winemakers of California's Napa Valley, freelance journalist Barron visits the homes and wineries of an assortment of French, Italian, Russian, German and American vintners. Many are art collectors whose houses constitute a melange of architectural styles: "a Greek monastery, a medieval fortress, a Rhenish castle, French chateaux, Spanish missions, California barns, Italianate Victorian mansions... a pseudo-Minoan temple." Some of the Europeans remain contemptuous of American consumers; others are energized by the open spaces and freedom of the West. Some have come because the land is cheap compared with that in Europe. Almost all are dedicated to producing the best wines in the world. Barron examines the difficulties of Napa wine-growing and the innovations in the process made by, among others, Tschelistcheff (Beaulieu), the French-trained White Russian, and Joe Heitz (Heitz Wine Cellars), the scientific-minded American who sneers at the "artsy-craftsy, tiddly-diddly" elite of the valley. But while many Americans have been Europeanized and the Europeans Americanized, according to Barron, the Mexicans, who do most of the hard work, remain mystified by the money and care spent on producing a drink "not half as tasty as beer or tequila." Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Through biography, history, geography, and an account of the current society scene, Barron paints a picture of what the Napa Valley has evolved into at the end of the 20th century. A journalist who lives in Northern California, she provides a sense of some of the influential pioneers in California wine, e.g., European immigrant Andre Tchelistcheff, who made Beaulieu into a major player, and American Joe Heitz, who worked under Andre and started his own Heitz Cellars. Barron outlines the impact the French and Italian have had on Napa wine styles and the current role Mexican workers play in the wine business. She also gives a feel for the new, young winemakers who are often rich hobbyists. Her work is a good complement to more general books on Napa and wine, such as The Complete Wine Country Guidebook (Indian Chief, 1995), Northern California Wine Country Access (HarperCollins, 1994), and James Halliday's Wine Atlas of California (Viking, 1993). Recommended for comprehensive collections and California oenophiles.
Thomas K. Fry, Univ. of Denver Lib.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 319 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; First Edition edition (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684812959
• ISBN-13: 978-0684812953
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,308,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dreamers of the Valley: etc..., July 19, 2001

By 

Jim Jansen (Yorba Linda, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamers of the Valley of Plenty: A Portrait of the Napa Valley (Hardcover)

I have not yet finished the book, but the rating stars can only increase. We returned from Napa Valley after a three trip and it was interesting to find the places spoken of in the book. Barron writes in a startlingly brutal fashion and probably hasn't been in contact with many of her subject acquaintances. This a beautifully written book, by an artist of our language;not written for the common denominator. I'm awaitng for her next book on any subject.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, evocative reading., March 10, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dreamers of the Valley of Plenty: A Portrait of the Napa Valley (Hardcover)

This evocative portrayal of Napa Valley reminded me of the writings of Peter Mayle. It represents the place through people -- through portraits, (sometimes acerbic) of the owners of some of the area's famous wineries. It's worth the read just for the lyrical writing and the marvellous sense of place. I hated reaching the end of it.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of those books you never forget, August 20, 2009

By 

Stephen Lowe "Steve" (Timaru, South Canterbury New Zealand) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dreamers of the Valley of Plenty: A Portrait of the Napa Valley (Hardcover)

I feel I must just take the time to endorse the comments of the first two reviewers. This is a beautifully written book. The author's style reminds me of essays by Arundhati Roy, brutally honest, truthful, not unkind. Tough love. I lent this book, never saw it again, so now I'm buying myself a replacement.