The geography of wine : how landscapes, cultures, terroir, and the weather make a good drop / Brian J. Sommers.

ISBN:

9780452288904

Title:

Author:

Sommers, Brian J.

Personal Author:

Sommers, Brian J.

Publication Information:

New York, N.Y. : Penguin Group, c2008.

Physical Description:

viii, 289 p. ; 21 cm.

General Note:

Includes index.

Contents:

Geography and the study of wine -- Wine landscapes and wine regions -- St. Emilion -- Climatology of viticulture -- Spain -- Microclimate and wine -- The Rhine and its tributaries -- Grapes, soil, and terroir -- Bordeaux -- Biogeography and the grape -- The Loire valley -- Viticulture, agriculture, and natural hazards -- California -- Wine and geographic information systems -- Oregon and Washington state -- Winemaking and geography -- Oporto, Madeira, Jerez -- Wine diffusion, colonialism, and political geography -- Greece, South Africa, and Chile -- Urbanization and the wine geography -- Burgundy -- Retail geography and wine -- Australia -- Communism, geography and wine -- Eastern Europe -- Geography and wine's competitors: beer, cider, and distilled spirits -- The whiskeys of Scotland -- Wine and the geography of temperance -- Arab world and America east of the Rockies -- Regional identity, wine, and multinationals -- Champagne -- Localism and wine tourism -- Central Italy -- My favorite places to drink wine.

Subject Term:

Wine districts.

Wine and wine making.

Viticulture.

Format:

Books

Electronic Access:

Table of contents only

Publication Date:

2008

Publication Information:

New York, N.Y. : Penguin Group, c2008.

Available:*

Shelf Number	Material Type	Copy	Shelf Location	Status
641.22 SOM	Book	1	Standard shelving location	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Wine is more than taste, smell, and appearance--it is a reflection of a place and its people. Why is Bordeaux a great place for red wines? Why do some places produce Rieslings and others produce Chardonnay? A fun and fascinating examination of terroir (the French word for the geography of a vineyard) this book takes connoisseurs--and potential connoisseurs--on a tour of wine regions, and explains the principles geographers use to understand the critical factors that make up the "wine character" of a place.

From the Loire Valley to Napa Valley, Madeira to South Africa, Australia to Chile, The Geography of Wine is an entertaining and informative introduction to viticulture for worldly wine lovers everywhere.

Author Notes

Dr. Brian J. Sommers is the Assistant to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences and Director of the International Studies program at Central Connecticut State University. He has a Ph.D in Geography from the University of Arizona. His research and teaching interests are in cultural geography and heritage landscapes. Dr. Sommers' interests in wine are as a result of work done while pursuing his master's degree at Miami University (Ohio). He is the author of The Geography of Wine.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Sommers, a professor of geography, explains the role that landscape, history, economics and culture play in wine regions from Burgundy to Australia to California. While the varied microclimates of the Rhineland, for example, and unique soil of Bordeaux make for exquisite Riesling from the former and the characteristic cabernet sauvignon of the latter, environmental conditions like these are but one part of viticulture's complex geography. Historical factors such as colonialism, trade and urbanization also determine what wines are cultivated and where. As well, the economic geography of contemporary vineyards is ever-evolving: retail venues and the marketability of a product vary enormously, the Internet has broadened the market for wine and conglomerates are an increasing presence. In his wide-ranging analysis of the obvious and imperceptible elements that characterize a wine region and its rewards, Sommers tips his glass to the steadfast amour between viticulture and geography. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Booklist Review

For centuries, wine has customarily been classified and labeled by its place of origin. To know what land a wine comes from is already to know a lot about how it's likely to taste. Sommers explains in detail these essential connections between wine and geography. For Sommers, geography is much more than merely latitude, longitude, and landscape. Soil type, sun exposure, rainfall, drainage, the seasons, agricultural traditions, and grape varieties all have effects and make each vineyard unique, even before the vintners' art comes into play. Economics and politics, too, contribute to the mix, governing how wine is distributed to consumers. Sommers discusses each of these factors, showing their effect on wine production in areas as diverse as Bordeaux, the Rhine Valley, South Africa, and Oregon. He even explains how geography affects wine's competitors such as beer and distilled liquors. This is a very useful introduction for beginning students of wine.--Knoblauch, Mark Copyright 2007 Booklist

Chapter 1 Geography and the Study of Wine	p. 1
Chapter 2 Wine Landscapes and Regions	p. 11
Saint-Emilion	p. 19
Chapter 3 The Climatology of Viticulture	p. 23
Spain	p. 40
Chapter 4 Microclimate and Wine	p. 45
The Rhine and Its Tributaries	p. 55
Chapter 5 Grapes, Soil, and Terrior	p. 59
Bordeaux	p. 78
Chapter 6 Biogeography and the Grape	p. 83
The Loire Valley	p. 95
Chapter 7 Viticulture, Agriculture, and Natural Hazards	p. 101
California	p. 122
Chapter 8 Wine and Geographic Information Systems	p. 127
Oregon and Washington State	p. 136
Chapter 9 Winemaking and Geography	p. 141
Oporto and Cadiz	p. 151
Chapter 10 Wine Diffusion, Colonialism, and Political Geography	p. 157
South Africa and Chile	p. 169
Chapter 11 Urbanization and the Wine Geography	p. 175
Burgundy	p. 179
Chapter 12 Economic Geography and Wine	p. 187
Australia	p. 195
Chapter 13 Communism, Geography, and Wine	p. 199
Eastern Europe	p. 207
Chapter 14 Geography and Wine's Competitors: Beer, Cider, and Distilled Spirits	p. 211
Scotland	p. 219
Chapter 15 Wine, Culture, and the Geography of Temperance	p. 223
America East of the Rockies	p. 230
Chapter 16 Regional Identity, Wine, and Multinationals	p. 235
Champagne	p. 249
Chapter 17 Localism and Wine Tourism	p. 253
Central Italy	p. 259
Chapter 18 Where Wine Takes Me	p. 263
Appendix	p. 273
Further Reading	p. 277
Index	p. 281
Photo Credits	p. 291

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Bound With These Titles

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Booklist Review

Table of Contents