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The French word terroir is used to describe all the ecological factors that make a particular type of wine special to the region of its origin. James E. Wilson uses his training as a geologist and his years of research in the wine regions of France to fully examine the concept of terroir. The result combines natural history, social history, and scientific study, making this a unique book that all wine connoisseurs and professionals will want close at hand. In Part One Wilson introduces the full range of environmental factors that together form terroir. He explains France's geological foundation; its soil, considered the "soul" of a vineyard; the various climates and microclimates; the vines, their history and how each type has evolved; and the role that humans - from ancient monks to modern enologists - have played in viticulture.Part Two examines the history and habitat of each of France's major wine regions. Wilson explores the question of why one site yields great wines while an adjacent site yields wines of lesser quality. He also looks at cultural influences such as migration and trade and at the adaptations made by centuries of vignerons to produce distinctive wine styles. Wilson skillfully presents both technical information and personal anecdotes, and the book's photographs, maps, and geologic renderings are extremely helpful. The appendices contain a glossary and information on the labeling of French wines. With a wealth of information explained in clear English, Wilson's book enables wine readers to understand and appreciate the mystique of terroir.
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Review:
Terroir is a French term (pronounced tair-wahr) which refers to the interplay of natural elements that make up the myriad environments in which grapevines grow. It is also the key to understanding why fine wines are produced where they are. Central to the terroir concept is geology, which is where author James E. Wilson comes in. He is a highly regarded geologist and former Vice President for Exploration and Production at Shell Oil. Following a second career as a consultant, he has devoted himself to the study of the natural history and underlying geology of French wines.
About the Author:
The book is possibly the first and only to comprehensively investigate the primary sources of fine wines--rocks and soil. As Wilson writes in the introduction: "You should be warned, perhaps, that the author is a geologist, and geologists have a fraternal feeling about rocks--they like to call them by name, know what they are made of, how old they are, and how they became involved in the landscape." The first part of the book is an elaboration on the components of the French terroirswith a geologic map showing the distribution of older, "hard" rock types in the mountains and "younger" ones in the basins and valleys. Another map identifies the wine districts, relief and main climate zones of France. The second part of the book is a journey through scenic winelands across the diverse geology of France--slopes of chalk, glacial valleys, gravel mounds, granite outcrops and limestone cuestas. Individual chapters describe the wine areas, the formation of their landscapes, why some vineyards are superior to others and how elements of the terroirs interact.
Terroir is the result of an in-depth study which lasted for years, but it is not only a technical book. It combines natural and social history with little-known facts and anecdotes, woven into a compelling tale of how geology influences the quality of wine. Farmers will find it useful and wine lovers will find it fascinating. Both will finish it with a thorough knowledge of French rocks, having not touched anything other than the glass of wine on the side-table.
James E. Wilson is former Vice President for Exploration and Production at Shell Oil.
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- PublisherUniv of California Pr
- Publication date1999
- ISBN 10 0520219368
- ISBN 13 9780520219366
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages336
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Terroir--The Role Geology, Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines
Published by
University of California Press
(1998)
ISBN 10: 0520219368
ISBN 13: 9780520219366
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Hardcover
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. Book is new; slight wrinkle at top of dust jacket, otherwise new. Seller Inventory # 2027
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