The Art and Science of Wine: The Winemaker's Options in the Vineyard and the Cellar

by Hugh Johnson

"How wine is made, from field to cellar to bottle."Great wine is a complex blend of nature, art and science. In this updated new edition of a classic book, the "how and why" of a wine's creation are examined in detail.Acclaimed wine writers James Halliday and Hugh Johnson analyze the art and science behind the winemaking process. They start with the fundamental role of terroir the complex combination of characteristics that give a wine its personality. The latest developments in pruning and irrigation are then covered, along with the recent emergence of vineyards in cooler regions and the rise of organic wines.Wine production in the cellar is detailed for nine specific styles, from light-bodied whites to full-bodied reds, along with sweet, sparkling and fortified varieties. The authors present the choices facing vintners at every step. The science of maturation is discussed, along with the industry's raging debate over the merits of natural cork, plastic cork and screw cap seals. The book also A year in the vineyard Quantity vs. quality National attitudes and regional characteristics Mechanization The chemistry and analysis of wine.The Art and Science of Wine is filled with full color photographs and illustrations. With text that reflects the latest winemaking technology and discoveries, this lively book is both accessible and highly informative.

Genres: Wine, Nonfiction, Food

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Hugh Johnson, younger son of a London lawyer, began his life-long passion for wine in all its variety as a member of the Wine & Food Society at Cambridge University, where he gained an Honours Degree in English literature. When he left King's College in 1961 he became a feature writer for Vogue and House & Garden, writing, among other articles, travel and wine columns for both magazines and their sister-papers in New York.

In 1963, as a result of his close friendship with the octogenarian André Simon, the founder of The International Wine & Food Society, he became General Secretary of the Society and succeeded the legendary gastronome as editor of its magazine Wine & Food. At the same time he became wine correspondent of The Sunday Times and started work on his first book, Wine, whose publication in 1966 established him as one of the foremost English gastronomic writers. There are now over 800,000 copies in print in seven languages and the book is still regularly reprinted. After a year as Travel Editor of The Sunday Times he became editor of Queen Magazine, in two years doubling the circulation of the fashionable glossy. It was 1969 when James Mitchell of the newly-founded publishing house Mitchell Beazley invited him to write The World Atlas of Wine. The research involved took Hugh Johnson all over the world; the result was a best-seller that might justly claim to have put wine on the map. Its publication was described by the Director of the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine in his Foreword as "un événement majeur de la littérature vinicole".

Reviews

[Ashwise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm interested in wine making, but this book was a dry read and hard to get through. I ended up not finishing it.

[Kathy Shuker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, detailed overview of the commercial wine-making process.