Corkscrewed: Adventures in the New French Wine Country (At Table) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: Côte Rôtie, forgetting vine, mother leaf, The Moon, Uncle Jacques, Les Mayons (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[Corkscrewed] inspires thirst and curiosity. . . . Just as a trip around the French countryside reveals dozens of dishes that never make it to French restaurants in the United States, Mr. Camuto''s adventures will introduce readers to little-known French wines like Domaine Borrely-Martin of Provence, Chateau Mosse of Roussillon and Domaine des Tres Cantous of Gaillac and to the passionate individuals that persevere despite the absence of monetary reward. These may not be the wines that earn one spurs as a connoisseur, but they certainly may produce a worthy sense of humility at how much there is to learn. I can''t wait to drink them." --Eric Asimov, New York Times

"[Camuto's] enthusiasm for underdog grapes, regions and winemakers makes him a pleasant guide along the back roads of France." --Thomas Matthews, Wine Spectator

"If you think you would enjoy having a conversation with a passionate French wine craftsman, dive into Robert Camuto's delicious new book. I spend a good part of my life underground in France, and everything Camuto relates of his adventures rings true. And to those of you tiring of the varietal bandwagon, here's an escape route." --Kermit Lynch, wine importer and author of Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Buyer''s Tour of France

"[Camuto] is a stylish writer with a gift for describing the way his subjects look and think, and express themselves in words and wine. He explains each winemaker''s approach and results, also adding a bit of insight about intra-French competition and the export market in the French wine industry today." --Claire Walter, Culinarycolorado.com

"A good read." --JancisRobinson.com

Review

"[Corkscrewed] inspires thirst and curiosity. . . . Mr. Camuto's adventures will introduce readers to little-known French wines like Domaine Borrely-Martin of Provence, Ch�teau Moss� of Roussillon and Domaine des Tres Cantous of Gaillac and to the passionate individuals that persevere despite the absence of monetary reward. These may not be the wines that earn one spurs as a connoisseur, but they certainly may produce a worthy sense of humility at how much there is to learn. I can't wait to drink them."-Eric Asimov, New York Times, Dining & Wine section (Eric Asimov New York Times Dining & Wine 20090218)

"Camuto's lighthearted book is a particularly enjoyable read that chronicles the author's journey through French wine country in a scrumptious collection of stories about wine, food, vineyards, and winemakers."-Beth Hiser, Bloomsbury Review (Bloomsbury Review 20070824)

"If you think you would enjoy having a conversation with a passionate French wine craftsman, dive into Robert Camuto's delicious new book. I spend a good part of my life underground in France, and everything Camuto relates of his adventures rings true. And to those of you tiring of the varietal bandwagon, here's an escape route."-Kermit Lynch, wine importer and author of Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Buyer''s Tour of France (Kermit Lynch 20090210)

"[Camuto's] enthusiasm for underdog grapes, regions and winemakers makes him a pleasant guide along the back roads of France."-Thomas Matthews, Wine Spectator (Thomas Matthews Wine Spectator )

"If you saw and liked the film Mondovino, get this book. Like a collection of love letters to wine, each chapter showcases a winemaker who has carved out a niche for himself amid the encroaching corporate tide, sprawl, or commercialization. In a world of oak chips and cost-benefit analysis, these are the winemakers who must endure, even in beloved France."-Maggie Savarino Dutton, Seattle Weekly (Maggie Savarino Dutton Seattle Weekly )

"Mr. Camuto's writing is precise, entertaining and compelling enough that it should appeal to audiences beyond the normally narrow scope reached by wine books. It reads very much like a collection of short stories that come together to form what is essentially a non-fiction novel. It travels a road that I'd very much like to follow. The individual stories alone are very much worth the price of admission. The fact that they come together to form a much greater whole makes Corkscrewed a rare gem in the field of wine literature and a highly recommended read."-David McDuff, McDuff's Food and Wine Trail (McDuff's Food and Wine Trail David McDuff ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Nebraska Pr (November 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803276354
• ISBN-13: 978-0803276352
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,025 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The soul of winemaking revealed, October 13, 2008

By	J. Loeffler (France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I lived in Napa, I saw the sad, inevitable industrial takeover of the wine community. Now the moneymen mass produce thousands of acres of mediocre cabernet or zinfandel in the Central Valley and slap a label with the word "Napa" on it to inflate the price. They doctor their mediocrity with wood chips and flavored yeasts. Some regions of France are losing their integrity to this bottom feeding mentality. Robert Camuto, like Kermit Lynch and director Jonathan Nossiter (Mondovino), seeks out the people who are wrestling the soul of wine away from the people and places that would sell it to the highest bidder. Corkscrewed hits it on the head with his uneasiness at the rote tasting sessions at Vinexpo. From there he takes us with him on his voyages of discovery, not as an expert but as a wine lover. He conjures images of the real, the genuine, the natural and the heartfelt in each of his visits to various wine regions in France. His comical, bacchus-possessed visit to the most over-the-top wine event in the world, the auction at les Hospices de Beaune, makes you realize that the Burgundians have somehow maintained their integrity in spite of the world wide clamor for pinot noir. His journey with the peasant (et fier d'etre!) in the Ardêche and that region's rediscovery of chatus, provides hope. The stories and survival of these intense, impassioned winemakers are essential for any wine lover.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anyone who loves France or its wines will treasure Corkscrewed, November 20, 2008

By	Thomas E. Korosec (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although its principal subject is wine and the search for authenticity by some of France's most devoted winemakers, Corkscrewed does a wonderful job capturing a sense of place. The chateau-rich hills of Bordeaux, the pristine coasts of Corsica, the wine-growing corners of Provence and other lesser-visited regions take form as both backdrop and integral elements in Robert Camuto's French wine country adventures. Through a collection of expertly sketched characters, many of whom truly are characters, he brings to life the tension between craftsmanship and commercialism in this charming corner of world agriculture. These Frenchman are by turns humorous and stubbornly opinionated, and expertly rendered by an author with an eye and ear for telling detail.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Off the beaten path travel in France, January 14, 2009

By	francophile (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This is a good book about wine in France, and the lives of wine-makers, who have resisted the one-size fits all model of mass production. The author introduces the reader to little-known, off the beaten path wine-makers, whose wines represent the unique geography and culture of their localities, in short their "terroir," as the French call this hard to translate concept of place. The book provides both an excellent travel companion for diverse regions in France, as well as an authoritative exploration of the French wine industry from a more grassroots angle. The story-telling is captivating and the characters are memorable. Even for arm chair enthusiasts, it's a fun read. The author is an American journalist who has been living and writing in France with his family for eight years.