Customer Reviews

Napa Valley

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Stunning imagery of the Napa region and the people behind the industry. O'Rear shows the reader the real Napa, and his breathtaking pictures do justice to this terrific region. The centerfold is a four-page foldout of the ornate wooden gates of each winery in the region; both clever and masterful at once. O'Rear shows Napa as only a true insider can. This is the one to buy and will impress anyone who opens it. A must for the true wine lover!

Anyone who loves wine country - or anything beautiful - will savor what has to be the largest photographic book ever published on Napa Valley. Charles O'Rear has done it again with his fifth book on wines and wine country - but this one is his opus, his love letter to the place he has called home since National Geographic sent him here on assignment 23 years ago. Every page surprises with a blaze of color and contrast -- seas of green vineyards, blood orange skies, clusters of deep indigo blue cabernet grapes. All this juxtaposed with Avedon-style black & white portraits of the people who grow the grapes which make the world class wine. These "farmers" are like no other, ranging from surgeon, judge, broker, teacher, and pilot to second generation Italian immigrant. Then there's the collection of quirky-looking corkscrews and a three-foot foldout of golden red winery doors. Along with the photographs, the essays by San Francisco Chronicle wine country columnist, Janice Fuhrman, capture the very heart and soul of this small paradise. And look who endorsed the book! None other than the King and Queen of Napa Valley - Robert and Margrit Mondavi, who wrote the foreword. Chef and owner of the French Laundry, Thomas Keller, and Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic, William Allen, have written glowing words on the dust jacket. I believe this book will become a collector's item for anyone who loves wine, wine country, and the joyful life surrounding it.

Books also by this photographer: WINE COUNTRY: California's Napa and Sonoma Valleys; CABERNET: A Photographic Journey From Vine to Wine; CHARDONNAY: Photographs From Around the World.

Napa: yep, that's it. The area just breathes the atmosphere of old times as can be found in the south of France.. but now in today's California, just north of San Francisco. And this book captures it all. The only thing *missing* from the book is the actual taste of the wine.

Once you've been there (either by car, or the famous Napa valley wine express) and you have seen and tasted this beautiful area, you will love the book as a souvenir. The quality of the prints is overwhelming - ranging from super-macro closups of cobalt blue grapes till wide, outstretching landscaping views.

And the book puts a face to the labels of your favourite wine. All the labels are listed, together with the matching winery's door, and some of the most famous Napa valley characters. Looking at these beautifully lighted out characteristic faces will give you an impression of the world behind the wine you are drinking.

WARNING: don't read this book if you are out of wine. You'll get too thirsty to resist.

Now let's wait for the video, Chuck! And the poster with the foldable airplane-ready frame.

I have been visiting the Napa Valley for 10 years now and this excellent book captures the Napa Valley extremely well. The photography is up to the high standard set by National Geographic phtotograpers. Highly recommended from someone who does know the Napa Valley.

This is a great book. It details the Napa Valley and the families in a great photographic format. I was completely fascinated by the imagery and the passion that they conveyed about wine making. Mr.O'Rear is a skilled photograher teller that weaves a silent story about the lives and art of wine making into one great book.

One of my desires is, after I retire from futures trading, is to own a vineyard. Mr.O'Rear has written a book that has convinced me that is what I should do.

This is an excellent book. I recommend it to all wine enthusiasts.