Full Description
The Classic Wine Library is home to some of the world's most trusted expert writing on wine. This anthology gathers together selected essays from nearly 30 titles, published over the last 10 years. The chapters cover topics essential to understanding the wines of a range of regions, including their history, wine growing, winemaking and signature wines. The wide range of subjects include:
The beginnings of viticulture - explaining how people learned to tame the wild tree-climbing Vitis vinifera and turn it into orderly vineyards;
Addressing South Africa's apartheid legacy - detailing efforts made by the wine industry to create equal opportunities for black and coloured workers;
Australia's old vines - revealing the history and extent of the country's impressive collection of ungrafted vines;
Qvevri: the vessel of dreams - discussing how these traditional clay vessels are formed, and used to make wines;
The wines of Japan - looking at one of the world's most newly emerged wine-producing countries and seeing how its wines have been transformed over the last decade;
Tavel - exploring the history and winemaking methods behind the Rhône's famous rosé wine and learning how changing fashions in wines have affected its fortunes.
The articles feature wine regions across the globe, from Old World favourites in the heart of Europe to New World heavyweights such as South Africa and New Zealand to emerging regions like Great Britain and the southwest USA. The Classic Wine Library Reader will expand your wine knowledge and enhance your bookshelf.
Contents
Foreword viii
Introduction x
Preface xii
THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The beginnings of viticulture 3
Rod Phillips
The real Perignon, and the myth 13
Nicholas Faith
The origins of biodynamics 21
Monty Waldin
Bulgarian wine's new era 31
Caroline Gilby MW
A brief history of Austrian wine 39
Stephen Brook
Changes in British wine styles 47
Stephen Skelton MW
Addressing South Africa's apartheid legacy 56
Jim Clarke
VINEYARDS AND VARIETIES
The sparkling wine vineyard 69
Anthony Rose
Madeira vineyards old and new 79
Richard Mayson
The crus of Chablis 88
Rosemary George MW
Principal Côte D'Or vineyards 97
Raymond Blake
Australia's old vines 111
Mark Davidson
Pinot Noir 119
Rebecca Gibb MW
Riesling - 'life is hard enough, let us drink light wine' 127
Anne Krebiehl MW
WINEMAKING
Qvevri: the vessel of dreams 135
Lisa Granik MW
The appassimento process 145
Michael Garner
Vins doux naturels 155
Rosemary George MW
Port types 161
Richard Mayson
REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Côte-Rôtie 173
Matt Walls
What is Faugères? 180
Rosemary George MW
Vinho Verde 190
Richard Mayson
Rioja: a world within a world 200
Sarah Jane Evans MW
Santorini 211
Konstantinos Lazarakis MW
Arizona: climate, regions and challenges 220
Jessica Dupuy
The wines of Japan 229
Anthony Rose
SOME WINES OF NOTE
Tavel 241
Elizabeth Gabay MW
Manzanilla 249
Julian Jeffs
Icewine 258
Rod Phillips
The enjoyment of Cognac 268
Nicholas Faith
Index 277
