"From the Unseen Darkness where the vineroots suck, where the liquid in your glass is teased out of the soil." So states Hugh Johnson in explaining the importance of soils, "the terroir" that the French have long praised as the secret to great wines. Years of meticulous research now reveal the relationship between rocks and grapes. A natural history of the little known facts and anecdote woven into the compelling tale of how geology influences the choice of grapes, style and quality. A master geologist describes each rock type and soil and the way structure affects the absorption of vital nutrients. Using instruments and techniques developed for oil exploration, Wilson learned more about vineyards and quality than winemakers ever dreamed!
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
James E. Wilson is a former Vice President for Exploration and Production at Shell Oil. In his second career he has devoted himself to the study of the natural history and underlying geology of French wines. He lives in Colorado. Hugh Johnson writes the annual best-seller, Pocket Wine Book and is also author of World Atlas of Wine, now in its fourth edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book, bad Amazon entry,
By
This review is from: Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines (Wine Wheels) (Hardcover)
Hugh Johnson has inked quite a few good books on wine, including his autobiography, "A Life Uncorked" and the repeatedly revised and updated "World Atlas of Wine" -- the latter having launched many folks on a life-long love affair with all things vinous and/or a career in the wine business. "Terroir," however, was written by James E. Wilson, a geologist and former engineer and executive for Shell Oil. Hugh Johnson penned the foreward to Wilson's book. HUGH JOHNSON IS NOT THE AUTHOR. What makes this book unique is that it offers the perspective of a scientist/geologist who is also a passionate amateur of wine. You might also want to take a look at Jacques Fanet's "Great Wine Terroirs," published in French in 2001 and in translation by the University of California Press in 2004. However, Wilson's book is a more detailed, interesting and groundbreaking work than Fanet's.
Below is a review of the book I originally posted on November 6, 1999, for another Amazon entry for the same book that properly identified the author. Nothing has changed in the past decade: My shelves groan beneath the weight of scores of new and ancient volumes on French wine, and glitzy new volumes come and go from the catalogs every year -- but this one is somewhat unique among them. James Wilson is a geologist. He also loves French wine. Put the two together and you get this fascinating book about the geology, climate and viticulture of the major wine regions of France, all the way from Alsace to Languedoc. Filled with maps, photos and cross-sections, the book gives you an excellent visual picture of the topography and geology of the great (and not so great) vineyards. There is a glossary of terms for the geologically impaired, although you might still want to run out and get a basic geology text or dictionary to help you slog through the thicker parts of this book. Persevere, and you will gain a deeper understanding of the ways the ineffable term 'terroir' can account for the very different characteristics of wines from vineyards that may be no more than a stone's throw from one another. The same 'terroir' concept explains why the wines of the Loire, Rhone, Champagne, and all of the other major French viticultural regions have evolved as they have -- and why sacrificing their uniqueness to a homogenized 'international style' would be such a tremendous loss. If you love wine, this book will grab your attention.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Geology in terroir studies,
This review is from: Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines (Wine Wheels) (Hardcover)
Wilson's book contains numerous un-substantiated comments and many factual errors, it is also breathtakingly condescending to the reader. The regional information is poorly balanced, with very little geological data on large areas of France, notably, Provence and the Rhone.
5.0 out of 5 stars
WRONG AUTHOR!,
By Jennie L. Thornton "Wine Goddess" (New York, NY, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines (Wine Wheels) (Hardcover)
This is a GREAT book on the famous lands of France, but it is NOT written by hugh Johnson.... JAMES WILSON is the author!
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
From time to time, when it was my good fortune to enjoy a glass of fine French wine, I would ponder the question why the great wines of France grow where they do. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
rootless mountains, chalky scarps, strata package, frontal scarp, marly hills, active calcium carbonate, vineyards arc, hydric regime, gravel mounds, limestone plateaux, chalk plain, grapes arc, wines grow, slope wash, wines arc, small appellation, soils arc, chalk country, wine areas, crinoidal limestone, vineyard sites, special appellations, quality vineyards, battered rocks, granite slopes Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Color Plate, Grand Cru, Pinot Noir, Paris Basin, World War, Cabernet Franc, Massif Central, Ice Age, Middle Ages, Aquitaine Basin, Premiers Crus, Les Landes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Wars of Religion, Catherine Ponsot-Jacquin, First Growth, Transalpine Gaul, Massif Armoricain, Ile de France, Grands Crus, Middle Jurassic, Chenin Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Crystalline Vosges Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
From time to time, when it was my good fortune to enjoy a glass of fine French wine, I would ponder the question why the great wines of France grow where they do. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
rootless mountains, chalky scarps, strata package, frontal scarp, marly hills, active calcium carbonate, vineyards arc, hydric regime, gravel mounds, limestone plateaux, chalk plain, grapes arc, wines grow, slope wash, wines arc, small appellation, soils arc, chalk country, wine areas, crinoidal limestone, vineyard sites, special appellations, quality vineyards, battered rocks, granite slopes Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Color Plate, Grand Cru, Pinot Noir, Paris Basin, World War, Cabernet Franc, Massif Central, Ice Age, Middle Ages, Aquitaine Basin, Premiers Crus, Les Landes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Wars of Religion, Catherine Ponsot-Jacquin, First Growth, Transalpine Gaul, Massif Armoricain, Ile de France, Grands Crus, Middle Jurassic, Chenin Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Crystalline Vosges Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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