The Story of Wine is Fascinating and Constantly Evolving

I want to introduce you to a new source of wine history – The Académie du Vin founded by the late Steven Spurrier and his friends. It is a relatively new publisher with a unique mission of “publishing the finest wine writing of the past, present and future.” Their description mirrors our thoughts of favorite wines: “our aim is to pick the best and let it breathe again.” The Académie’s newest book is titled On California From Napa to Nebbiolo…Wine Tales from The Golden State. And you can order it in time for Christmas.

So select your favorite bottle of wine as you begin this journey through California appearing in a collection of articles from Hugh Johnson writing on The Madness of Agoston Haraszthy to Clare Tooley’s Without the Pacific, We’re Nothing. The book is divided into nine sections starting with a focus on The Cusp of Discovery, Terroir…The Dirt Matters, and Anything But Cabernet!  The section on Brains, Boffins, Whiz-Kids and Scholars includes articles by Randall Grahm, Kelli White, Bob Thompson and Warren Winiarski.

The section on Fire, Drought, Pestilence and Despair is particularly relevant today. The book concludes with a section titled In A Rush for New Gold with articles ranging from discussions of California Cuisine to the California Spirit. There are 39 essays to enjoy with a brief biography of each writer listed under the heading On California, The Cast. The photographs are excellent, many I have not seen before.

The Foreword by Karen MacNeil

This short introduction to the book is written by wine writer Karen MacNeil and includes a moving description of her phone call she made  in 1986 to Jack Cakebread in the Napa Valley from the newly renovated Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center in New York City. This call changed all our lives by bringing her to California, first to pick grapes during harvest, and then to write with a love and depth that is deeply moving. She shares this personal history: “California has taught me how to write about wine. But California has also taught me about natural beauty so grand that I have found myself weeping just driving over the Golden Gate Bridge.”

Please support the Académie du Vin Library

The Académie du Vin Library publishes two types of books: first, new editions of old books with updates and secondly, new material included and newly commissioned editions. The latest published book is On California From Napa to Nebbiolo. The Académie believes that “fine wine writing, like wine itself, represents an accumulation of knowledge over the ages.”  You can order the book and peruse their other publications on their website: www.academieduvinlibrary.com. The book can also be found on Amazon. The publishers are Simon McMurtrie and Hermione Ireland.