Passion for Pinot: A Journey Through America's Pinot Noir Country [Hardcover]

Jordan Mackay (Author), Robert Holmes (Photographer), Andrea Johnson (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

The explosive ascent of Pinot Noir from relative obscurity to it-grape status is unprecedented. Silky, complex, and incredibly versatile, Pinot Noir is the perfect food wine; full of charm and intrigue, it drinks beautifully on its own.
 
California and Oregon are home to Pinot's greatest expressions in the New World. In Passion for Pinot, award-winning photographers Robert Holmes and Andrea Johnson and wine writer Jordan Mackay capture the grape's allure through portraits and profiles of the top Pinot producers and terroirs on the West Coast.
 
Mackay's engaging narrative chronicles the different stylistic approaches to growing and vinifying Pinot and tells the story of the dedicated winemakers responsible for elevating the grape to its exalted status. The evocative photography of Holmes and Johnson showcases the many landscapes, seasons, and faces of Pinot Noir in America. Throughout the book, quotes, facts, and maps help make Passion for Pinot an illuminating and entertaining guide to a singularly beguiling grape.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If any grape would be at home in the pose of the femme fatale—smoke curling from its lips, long, irresistible legs crossed as another winemaker is sent to his doom—it would be Pinot Noir." —Eric Asimov, from the Foreword

From the Publisher

* A portrait of the most fashionable grape in the wine world, pairing vivid narrative and stunning photography to showcase top Pinot producers in California and Oregon.
* The only fully illustrated book on American Pinot Noir.
* The explosive ascent of Pinot Noir from relative obscurity to it-grape status is unprecedented. According to AC Nielson, Pinot sales have increased 120 percent in the last two years.
* Features a foreword by Eric Asimov.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580089860
• ISBN-13: 978-1580089869
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 0.6 x 11.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #344,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jordan Mackay is the wine and spirits writer for San Francisco magazine. Twice a month, he also writes for Chow, the CBS-owned online food magazine. His writing on food, wine, spirits, and beer has also appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Wine and Spirits, Food & Wine, and Gourmet. His first book, Passion for Pinot, was published in 2009 and his second, Secrets of the Sommeliers, comes out this fall.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Passion for Pinot, January 5, 2010

By 

Rusty Gaffney MD "Prince of Pinot" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Passion for Pinot: A Journey Through America's Pinot Noir Country (Hardcover)

Photographers Robert Holmes and Andrea Johnson along with writer Jordan Mackay have accomplished the masterful task of creating a book that captures the spirit of Pinot Noir. To satiate my own passion for Pinot Noir, I had envisioned doing a similar project for several years but never found the time. Imagine how thrilled I was, then, to discover this beautiful book with breath taking photography of American Pinot Noir winegrowing regions and wine people. The hardcover book is more than a fancy picture book to put out on your coffee table and forget about. It is filled with pinotspeak and valuable information about the one grape that is uniquely capable of creating an almost religious passion among its devotees.

Andrea Johnson is a well-known freelance photographer specializing in wine and travel with many of her pictures featured regularly in prestigious publications. Robert Holmes is a renowned photographer and writer who has illustrated more than forty books, has worked for many of the world's major magazines and twice was named "Travel Photographer of the Year" by the Society of American Travel Writers. Jordan Mackay has been a contributing writer for Wine & Spirits, Food and Wine, Gourmet, and Wine Enthusiast.

Following a foreword by noted wine writer, Eric Asimov, the contents weave a journey through the vineyards and wineries of America, stopping along the way to capture the essence of Pinot Noir. Chapters include: A Perfect Storm of Pinot, Terroir, A Year in the Vineyard, From Grape to Wine, and In the Glass.

For a peak of the book and some of its pages, visit [...]. The book is currently available at multiple wineries in California and Oregon listed on the pinotbook website and the authors are traveling to wineries for book signing events. Passion for Pinot will be available nationwide at bookstores in March of 2009.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Drink this book up!, April 29, 2009

By 

Marlo Zarka "MDZ" (Jacksonville FL USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Passion for Pinot: A Journey Through America's Pinot Noir Country (Hardcover)

Wine is beautiful and complex - Passion for Pinot matches its mate perfectly. I read this book to know more about this very special elixir, and while I am more informed, I am moreso transformed. The crisp narrative took me on a journey that was only enhanced by the stunning photography. I could almost smell the vines and feel the soil in which these grapes flourish. Drink this book up!

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, March 4, 2009

By 

Elisabeth Dufault (Jackson, WY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Passion for Pinot: A Journey Through America's Pinot Noir Country (Hardcover)

I know this book is wonderfully written, provides great insight into Pinot Noir and is complimented with beautiful photographs.