Description
Book SynopsisWine insiders called André Tchelistcheff the “winemaker’s winemaker,” the “wine doctor,” and simply “maestro.” After Prohibition brought Napa Valley and its wine industry to the brink of catastrophe, Tchelistcheff (1901–94) proved essential in its revitalization.
Tchelistcheff’s unique background—a sickly child, a Russian émigré forced from his homeland during the Bolshevik Revolution, a White Army lieutenant who fought in the Crimea, a physical laborer in a Bulgarian coal mine, a Czechoslovakian-trained agronomist, and a French-schooled viticulturist and enologist—prepared him for a remarkable winemaking career. He spent thirty-five years in Napa Valley’s Beaulieu Vineyard and nearly two “post-retirement” decades doing freelance consulting work for more than thirty wineries.
His early struggles forged his principal character traits, whichhe passed on to a
Trade Review
"This well-illustrated work is an easy read, filled with firsthand accounts of Tchelistcheff. An important history of Napa Valley's wine industry and some of its significant personalities of the 20th century, it will be a good addition to libraries with strong collections on Northern California history or viticulture."—B. D. Singleton, Choice
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. The Tchelistcheff Tour, Part 1
2. Kaluga
3. The Apache Dancer
4. Beautiful Place
5. The Mentor
6. Heublein
7. The Consultant
8. The Tchelistcheff Tour, Part 2
Notes
Bibliography
Index
