Choice Review
This book's title/subtitle contains three attention-grabbing adjectives that immediately cause the skeptical reader to request definitions; for example, "unnatural wine" seems to be an oxymoron. Wine writer Goode and winemaster Harrop address these and other terms, taking the reporter's position on current grape and wine production methods. This includes methods that may have resulted in a backlash against perceived "manufactured" wine at one extreme, and the production of short-lived, heavily fruited, high-alcohol wines produced from overripe grapes at the other. The book suggests that both wines do not reflect their origin/terroir. The authors engage readers as they dissect common current wine production methods and countermovements. These movements range from science/ecology-based practices (integrated viticulture, integrated pest management) to the occult (biodynamics), and all invoke both vineyard and cellar components. Regardless of the validity of the concerns expressed or the suggested range of solutions presented, Goode and Harrop have presented ideas that, while currently at the fringes of commercial grape and wine production, are gaining adherents, not only based on the concerns about current methods, but also because of the perceived marketing advantages. Overall, a thoughtful, provocative, and well-written book. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. G. S. Howell emeritus, Michigan State University
Library Journal Review
According to Goode (wine writer, Sunday Express) and Master of Wine Harrop, categorizing wines as natural or not is an unrealistic approach. They outline instead how wines may exhibit degrees of naturalness; after all, to paraphrase the authors, there are no lakes or streams anywhere on Earth filled with Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. All wine takes some sort of management or manipulation on its way from the vine through fermentation and bottling. This enlightening book tends toward promotion of making wine that is closer to unadulterated but acknowledges the important contributions of techniques and tools in the wine-making process. Part philosophical and part technical, the narrative is clear, engaging, and well argued. VERDICT An accessible and balanced read with a limited potential audience. Recommended for libraries with specialized interest in wine.-Peter Hepburn, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
