Description
Book SynopsisThoughtfully conceived and very well written, this is essential somm reading.The Somm JournalThis is the most important wine book of the year, perhaps in many years.The Seattle TimesCrisply written, impeccably researched, balanced if fundamentally enthusiastic, scholarly but accessible, and full of unexpected details and characters.The World of Fine WineNo wine category has seen more dramatic growth in recent years than American Rhônevariety wines. Winemakers are devoting more energy, more acreage, and more bottlings to Rhône varieties than ever before. The flagship Rhône red, Syrah, is routinely touted as one of California's most promising varieties, capable of tremendous adaptability as a vine, wonderfully variable in style, and highly expressive of place. There has never been a better time for American Rhône wine producers. American Rhône is the untold history of the American Rhône wine movement. The popularity of these wines has been hard fought; this is a story of fringe player
Trade Review"Thoughtfully conceived and very well written, this is essential somm reading." * The Somm Journal *
"Comiskey has a skeptical reporter’s mind, a poet’s way with turns of phrase, an editor’s sense of conservation of words, and a keen (and deep) understanding of – and respect for – wine as a subject matter, all of which come to bear in American Rhone." -- Joe Roberts * 1 Wine Dude *
"This book is superb." * California Grapevine *
"Our five favorite liquor and wine books from 2016
: A deep dive into this fascinating category, long beloved by wine geeks." * San Francisco Chronicle *
"Delves into the American Rhone movement’s wine-soaked origins in this vivid, in-depth account." * The Mercury News *
"This is the most important wine book of the year, perhaps in many years." * The Seattle Times *
"A strong contender for wine book of the year." -- Henry Jefffreys * The Guardian *
"The definitive work on the Rhone movement." * Wine Review Online *
"Crisply written, impeccably researched, balanced if fundamentally enthusiastic, scholarly but accessible, and full of unexpected details and characters." * The World of Fine Wine *
"The wine book of the year." -- Dennis Schaefer * Santa Barbara News-Press *
"Comiskey really knows his stuff — deep research is apparent here — and he writes with a fluid style, so learning about American Rhône is a real pleasure. . . . A terrific book, well-written and informative. It deserves a place on your wine bookshelf." * The Wine Economist *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction
PART I: PRELUDES AND ANTECEDENTS
1. The Sixties, Headwaters of the American Rhône
2. A Place and Its Progeny: A Guide to the Varieties of the Rhône Valley
3. How Rhône Varieties Got to American Soil
4. The Curious Case of American Petite Sirah
5. Rhône Varieties through Prohibition and After
PART II: PIONEERS AND PLAYERS
6. The Path to the First American Rhône
7. Syrah’s Proud Father: Gary Eberle and the Making of Modern Syrah
8. Other Pioneers: From the North Coast to Gold Country
PART III: ARTISTS AND ICONOCLASTS
9. Randall Grahm, the Movement’s Cosmic Impresario
10. Steve Edmunds, the Quiet Iconoclast
11. Sean Thackrey, the Thinking Man’s Rhônist
12. Manfred Krankl, the First Superstar
PART IV: THE MOVEMENT STARTS TO MOVE
13. Viognier, the Rhône Movement’s Flower Child
14. The Purloined Rhône: How Suitcase Clones Shaped the Movement
15. Tablas Creek, the Validator
16. The American Rhône in Washington State
PART V: BOOMTIME
17. The Birth of the Rhône Rangers, 1987–1990
18. The Academic Backup for the American Rhône Movement
19. The Bridge from California to France: The Colloquium to Bring the Rhônes Together
20. Hospice du Rhône: A Festival to Bring the Rhône World Home
PART VI: IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE
21. The Rise and Fall of American Syrah
22. What We Talk About When We Talk about American Syrah
Notes
Index
Figures gathered after page 138.
