Wine and Place: A Terroir Reader

 The concept of terroir is one of the most celebrated and controversial subjects in wine today. Most will agree that well-made wine has the capacity to express "somewhereness," a set of consistent aromatics, flavors, or textures that amount to a signature expression of place. But for every advocate there is a skeptic, and for every writer singing praises related to terroir there is a study or a detractor seeking to debunk terroir as a myth. Wine and Place examines terroir using a multitude of voices and multiple points of view-from science to literature, from winemakers to wine critics-seeking not to prove its veracity but to explore its pros, its cons, and its other aspects. This comprehensive anthology lets the reader come to one's own conclusion about terroir.

Review: "I cannot emphasize enough how important this book has been to me and should be to the fine-wine community. It should be required reading for all students of vine and wine." -- Brian Croser * JancisRobinson.com *

"...if you're looking to read a wide and diverse body of text about what terroir is and where it comes from, you'll find few books on par with this one." * Edible East Bay *

"This anthology shares characteristics with fine wines: complex, nuanced, and well-balanced. . . . If you want a whirlwind exploration of a vast, complex topic, buy this book: there's nothing else out there like it." * EuropeNow *

"This book is essential for your library if you are at all serious about wine. As the authors advise, use it as a reference book when you need information about a topic or just a few pithy quotes. The authors have performed a real service cataloging and connecting a well-selected multitude of writings and presentations about terroir." * Journal of Wine Economics * 

Foreword by Patrick J. Comiskey

Introduction: Why Terroir Matters

1 The Lure and Promise of Terroir

2 History and Definitions

3 Soil: The Terre in Terroir

4 Climate: Limits and Variations

5 Grapevines: Bringing Terroir to Life

6 Winemaking: The Human Element in Terroir

7 Sensory: Validating Terroir

8 Marketing: Terroir for Sale

9 The Future of Terroir

10 Postscriptum

Acknowledgments: Nancy G. Freeman

Acknowledgments: John Buechsenstein

Bibliography

Credits for Reprinted Materials

Index