California wines are recognized as being among the world’s finest—and this guide explains just what makes them so distinctive: a combination of climate, soil, tradition, and innovation. Stephen Brook examines each major region; shows how certain viticultural and wine-making practices are specific to California; and looks at how the principal grape varieties are handled stylistically in different parts of the state. Far from being a dry reference work, this is studded with the vibrant personalities who keep California wines at the forefront of top-quality wine production. Some of the special features include detailed lists of single vineyards—now receiving greater attention from wine-makers—and a gazetteer that features over 630 different wineries, pointing to the best and most interesting wines from each one.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Stephen Brook is a leading writer on wine, gastronomy and travel, specialising in the wines of California and Bordeaux. His book Wines of California (Faber & Faber) won the Glenfiddich, Prix Lanson, and Veuve Clicquot awards for best wine book 2000. He has recently published Bordeaux: People, Power and Politics (Mitchell Beazley).
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A remarkably good book about California wine,
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This review is from: The Wines of California (Faber Books on Wine) (Hardcover)
Stephen Brook has been a freelance writer for many years specializing in wine and travel books. He won the André Simon Award in 1987 for Liquid Gold: Dessert Wines of the World, and has written several other excellent travel and wine books, including The Complete Bordeaux, Bordeaux: People, Power and Politics and Pauillac: The Wines and Estates of a Renowned Bordeaux Commune.
Brook has been learning about and drinking California wines since the late 1970s: "California wine regions routinely succeed in offering rich, full-bodied, fleshy, opulent wines that make an immediate sensory appeal." Brook briefly summarizes the history of wine in California, relying mainly on the works of Charles Sullivan, especially A Companion to California Wine. He presents a short, but excellent, summary of the "rules of California wine", asserting that California as an independent country would be the world's fourth largest producer after Italy, France and Spain. (A telling comment: "By and large, California wineries are not keen to dupe the consumer, although the overall laxity of the regulations often makes it easy for an element of deception to creep in.") Brook devotes about a quarter of the book to the wine regions, a quarter to grapes and types of wines, and the balance to a "Gazetteer" of various producers throughout the state. Throughout he relies on personal relationships with hundreds of grape growers, wine makers, writers and wine lovers. Brook emphasizes that: "There were no secrets, no mysteries, about wine. My questions, whether about viticulture or winemaking techniques, were readily answered." In a favorable review of the book published in "Decanter" recently, Gerald Asher emphasizes that "this willingness to share information has made it possible for Brook to track changes that amount to a U-turn in all things vinous in the state. When talking to growers elsewhere, I am often amazed to hear them make references to a California that no longer exists - they cannot imagine a place where change can be so rapid and so fundamental." Brook is quite skeptical about the AVA system, but his summaries are clear and historically accurate. Similarly with his descriptions of the various types of wine; I found his section devoted to Zinfandel particularly enlightening. But the heart of the book is a series of short essays on hundreds of different wineries; there are no tasting notes to speak of, but he captures the styles of wines made by many of these wineries in quite a remarkable way. For example, I have just finished reading Robert Mondavi's autobiography, Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business, admittedly a book that could have benefited from tighter editing. Brook's four pages captured the essence of Mondavi's story with style and warmth. It would be fun to quote dozens of these essays; here's part of one favorite just to give you the flavor of the whole: "Newton's vineyards are not open to the public, which is a great shame since these are arguably the most beautiful in all of California. Peter Newton's wife Su Hua is Chinese, and the terraced vineyards are reminiscent of Chinese landscape paintings, the whole effect enhanced with red-lacquer gateways, wooden pagodas, and other Chinese ornaments. ... Peter Newton told me that Su Hua is now the winemaker, even though she also pursues a separate career in San Francisco. It's perfectly conceivable that this immensely dynamic and talented woman does indeed make the wines. She has been a model, a scientist, designed much of the vineyard and winery buildings, and has formidable expertise as a wine marketer. There is a mysterious personage at Newton called Luc Morlet; he is the director of oenology, but I have never met him and don't know what he does. The team is completed by the consulting services of Michel Rolland, who only advises on his special subject: Merlot." I agree with Gerald Asher that only a person who finds great pleasure in California wine could have "devoted himself to a study of this magnitude." Best of all, re-reading the book after eight years proves that it still has remarkably strong legs. Robert C. Ross 2000 2008
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