Soils for Fine Wines [Hardcover]

Robert E. White (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195141024 | ISBN-13: 978-0195141023 | Publication Date: July 31, 2003

In recent years, viticulture has seen phenomenal growth, particularly in such countries as Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Chile, and South Africa. The surge in production of quality wines in these countries has been built largely on the practice of good enology and investment in high technology in the winery, enabling vintners to produce consistently good, even fine wines. Yet less attention has been paid to the influence of vineyard conditions on wines and their distinctiveness-an influence that is embodied in the French concept of terroir.

An essential component of terroir is soil and the interaction between it, local climate, vineyard practices, and grape variety on the quality of grapes and distinctiveness of their flavor. This book considers that component, providing basic information on soil properties and behavior in the context of site selection for new vineyards and on the demands placed on soils for grape growth and production of wines.

Soils for Fine Wines will be of interest to professors and upper-level students in enology, viticulture, soils and agronomy as well as wine enthusiasts and professionals in the wine industry.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Soils for Fine Wines is a comprehensive soils textbook for viticulturists...It is commendably thorough in approach and is very well written...The author is to be congratulated."--European Journal of Soil Science

"The book is extremely well structured and appropriately illustrated, including a sensible use and arrangement of photographs. It is recommended to both graduate and postgraduate viticultural soil scientists and advisors and winemaking professionals."--Austratial Grape and Wine Research

About the Author

Robert E. White is at University of Melbourne, Australia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 31, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195141024
• ISBN-13: 978-0195141023
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Agricultural Sciences > Crop Science
  • #17 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Agricultural Sciences > Soil Science
  • #20 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Agricultural Sciences > Agronomy

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A long-needed book, September 13, 2004

By 

D. Tesic (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Soils for Fine Wines (Hardcover)

In "Soils for Fine Wines" Robert White sets to provide information needed for better understanding of how soils and their properties relate to management and wine-grape production. This book is a long-needed one indeed; most other viticultural books are discussing soil as an environmental factor only in passing.

The book begins by explaining how the soil is formed and how it relates to the environment; how it changes with time and how it should be managed sustainably. Then it goes into a deeper analysis of the soil's makeup and structure, with a particular emphasis on understanding the vine root habitat. This is very important if a viticulturist is to understand effect of soil management practices on vine growth and production. Then the book details the supply of nutrients, explaining how these move into plant roots and what affects their availability. The reader is also given a brief introduction into precision viticulture and organic viticulture. The next section discusses soil, water and vine interrelationship, understanding of which is paramount for good irrigation management. The book contains information on various aspects of soil quality (physical, chemical and biological). The book then deals with soil as an important attribute for site selection and vineyard establishment. The final chapter discusses soil as it relates to the quality of the final product - wine. Here the author gives a well-balanced overview of the current state of knowledge of what is known as 'terroir' and he takes the reader on a journey around the wine-producing world by providing regional examples of how the soil and wine attributes seem to be related.

The book is well-written and easy to follow, although some might find it a bit technical at times. However, good explanation of technical terms is provided throughout and the book also has a number of illustrations and photographs that are helpful for easier understanding of the text.

I can recommend this book to students and professionals in viticulture and wine science. It is a long-awaited text dedicated specifically to vineyard soils and the way they affect grapevines and management strategies. This book will also be of great interest to anyone who wishes to better understand the link between environmental conditions and wine.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soils for Fine Wines, October 29, 2003

By 

BILL PAPAROUNIS (VICTORIA , 3055 Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soils for Fine Wines (Hardcover)

As a postgraduate student in the field of viticulture and wine i found this book covered the subject matter with great detail , clarity and scientific explanations. This book is a must have for your library collection and indeed for the aspiring viticulturist - it is a gold mine of information on the subject of soils.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for anyone who grows winegrapes, June 5, 2004

By 

Brad Johnston (Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Soils for Fine Wines (Hardcover)

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If you are a grape grower of any consequence, you know that good wine depends on good grapes, that good grapes depend on good vines and that good vines depend on roots that are DEEP and STRONG. Thus, the medium in which roots grow is of crucial importance. Viticulturists can be misled by reading that vines grow in all sorts of soils all over the world. That is certainly true but that simple dictum does not mean that any soil will do, as "any" soil will certainly not do.

Robert White's book is VERY useful in helping understand what goes on below ground. If you just flip through it, it will strike you as too technical and thus daunting. However, if you will read each of the headings, (e.g., 5.1, 5.2) but not the sub-headings (e.g. 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.3) and then read his "Summary Points", you will be richly rewarded. If there points about which you want to know more or understand better, go back and delve into the sub-headings and be enlightened to your hearts content. I'm glad I own this book!