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The Great Wines of America: The Top Forty Vintners, Vineyards, and Vintages
The stories behind America's finest wines, and the people and places that have made them so admired today.
Not too long ago, American wine was an object of ridicule. When compared to the great growths of Europe, it played in the minor leaguesif it even played the same game. All that has changed. At the start of the twenty-first century, the finest American wines hold their own with the best made anywhere. But which wines are these? And who are the people responsible for them? Because American vineyards are largely devoid of tradition, American vintners have had to make choices unknown to their Old World counterparts. These involve which grapes to grow, where best to plant the vines, and, most important, how to create rather than merely emulate truly distinctive wines. The Great Wines of America tells the story of how those choices, made successfully, have elevated American wine to unprecedented heights of quality and renown. 40 maps, 40 photographs.
Not too long ago, American wine was an object of ridicule. When compared to the great growths of Europe, it played in the minor leaguesif it even played the same game. All that has changed. At the start of the twenty-first century, the finest American wines hold their own with the best made anywhere. But which wines are these? And who are the people responsible for them? Because American vineyards are largely devoid of tradition, American vintners have had to make choices unknown to their Old World counterparts. These involve which grapes to grow, where best to plant the vines, and, most important, how to create rather than merely emulate truly distinctive wines. The Great Wines of America tells the story of how those choices, made successfully, have elevated American wine to unprecedented heights of quality and renown. 40 maps, 40 photographs.
- GenresWine
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Paul Lukacs
14 books6 followersPaul Lukacs is the author of American Vintage and The Great Wines of America. A James Beard, Cliquot, and IACP award winner, he has been writing about wine and its cultural contexts for nearly twenty years. He is a professor of English at Loyola University of Maryland, where he directs the University's Center for the Humanities. He lives in Baltimore.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 21, 2009
This was a good book to read before visiting California wine country. It gives color and background to many wineries throughout the country, both small and large, and has definitely identified some vineyards to look out for including some unlikely suspects...who knew there was wine coming out of Michigan?
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November 16, 2012Big-time Pinot Noir lover, so seeing DDO, Cristom, Calera, and Talley (even if it's the Chardonnay from Rosemary Vineyard that gets the nod) mentioned is endearing and mouth-watering. It's nice to learn about the winemakers, vineyards, and taste the owners are striving for.
November 24, 2007
A good look at wines, but too much of a focus on what's currently good in America, though, in the author's defense, American wines don't have much in the way of a deep history of quality.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews