Vineyard Tales -Reflections on Wine

by Gerald Asher

A Napa Valley Cabernet, a French Burgundy, an Orvieto Classico shared among friends in the Umbrian hills—every wine has a story, and Gerald Asher tells it best. Asher, longtime wine editor of Gourmet magazine, has an unsurpassed knowledge of vineyards, wineries, and wines. He also has the refreshing ability to write about wine informatively and entertainingly, without technical jargon. Now in paperback, Asher's delightful Vineyard Tales evaluates wines from around the world—from secret sun-drenched vineyards on Crete to the celebrated Champagne houses of France—setting each wine in the context of a region's history and culture. In addition, Asher offers an expert's advice on decanting, tasting, and serving wine. Connoisseurs looking for greater insight, novices seeking an introduction, or readers who simply want to enjoy armchair travel to the world's finest vineyards, will find Vineyard Tales irresistible—and discover that along the way they have also learned a great deal about wine.

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never thought I'd drink or appreciate wine. But now I do. Mostly because Scott grows grapes with hopes of making his own wine. And we made a trip to California wine country. And gifts of wine from family and friends.

"Vineyard Tales" is a collection of the author's select experiences with wine. He should know what he's talking about--he is the wine editor for Gourmet magazine, afterall.

I read some of the chapters, choosing what I found most interesting, particularly the ones about the Missouri Norton and Oregon Pinot Noir. I can't claim to know much beyond that as far as wine is concerned, but I learned from the sips I took of the chapters.