Reflections of a Vintner: Stories and Seasonal Wisdom from a Lifetime in Napa Valley

by Tor Kenward, Karen MacNeil (Afterword), Robert M. Parker Jr. (Foreword)

A compendium for wine a prominent vintner shares a lifetime of great wines, famous friends, deep knowledge, and insider insights

Reflections of a Vintner recounts the lessons learned, relationships forged, and observations made from an insider’s nearly fifty-year journey through the burgeoning wine industry in Napa Valley. From the mid-seventies, when there were less than fifty wineries, to the present, with over eight hundred, Tor Kenward shares his recollections as the region became a world-class wine destination. Following the calendar year, each chapter opens with the challenges and opportunities a winemaker faces that month—in the vineyard, winery, tasting room, and out on the road. In addition to the wine knowledge Kenward imparts, the vintner shares stories of his friendships with legends of the modern American food and wine scene, including Julia Child, André Tchelistcheff, Andy Beckstoffer, and Robert Mondavi, among others. Kenward’s hard work as a vintner was recently acknowledged and celebrated. In the October 2021 Judgment of Napa, held forty-five years after the historic Judgement of Paris, TOR Cabernet was judged to be #1, outscoring legendary Bordeaux châteaux, Napa Valley, and international peers by leading critics and sommeliers. TOR wines, coveted by connoisseurs worldwide, received seven perfect 100-point ratings from leading critics for their 2018 Napa Valley wines. An iconic winemaker, Kenward has written, taught, and lectured on wine most of his adult life. What he is most often asked about are not facts or numbers about his wines, but the stories behind them. These are stories of inspiration and wisdom that shaped his journey. With Kenward’s impressive connection to Napa Valley and his legacy of creating inimitable wines, Reflections of a Vintner offers entertaining insights into an often intimidating and complex but highly enjoyable world.

Genres: Wine, Memoir

224 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have lots of beefs with this book—the structure, the editing… but one of the biggest is the name-dropping. Clearly Tor has decades of experience in this industry but it feels like he tried to cram in a mention of everyone he ever worked with rather than spending more time on a few good stories. (Julia Child liked to talk politics at dinner? Please say more?) Again, probably an editor’s decision.
But I also take issue with the fact that even with a degree in viticulture Tor has never actually been a winemaker… with Beringer he was a marketer and at his own winery he is the owner(so again, the marketer).
The most authentic spot in the book is the moment where he meets his cookbook-author wife.

[Matthew Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This has been one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. I learnt so much about the evolution of Napa Valley to becoming one of the greatest wine regions in the world.

Tor Kenward wrote an amazing book filled with engaging stories of his experience in the wine community. All I know is I’m going to be trying a TOR Wines Cabernet Sauvignon very soon. :) I highly recommend this book to anyone.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I saw Tor Kenward on a talk show and liked how passionate he was about wines. I enjoyed his stories and learning about the “wine world” it truly is fascinating. I need a Napa Valley trip and clearly need to give reds a try especially some Cabernet Sauvignons Cheers

[Adele Kapellusch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of the history of Napa Valley. Fun and entertaining anecdotes, but the book was packed with too much name-dropping and the author came across a bit egotistical.