Bordeaux/Burgundy: A Vintage Rivalry - Hardcover

Pitte, Jean-Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0520249402 ISBN 13: 9780520249400

Publisher: University of California Press, 2008

Synopsis

Seeking to penetrate the mysteries of two great wine regions―"two opposite civilizations, two distinct ways of feeling"―Jean-Robert Pitte embarks upon an evocative and fascinating exploration of the land, people, and wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. His account is a rich tapestry of terroir, history, culture, and economics from Roman to modern times. The unique qualities of the wines of each region, Pitte believes, cannot be entirely explained by the differences in their physical environments: they have social origins as well. Beginning with an entertaining look at the remarkable variety of insults exchanged by partisans of the two regions, Pitte delves into the key role played by medieval monks, dukes, and peasant vignerons in building their respective reputations and in creating the rivalry between bourgeois Bordeaux and earthy Burgundy that we know today. His sparkling, fair-minded narrative, engaging the senses and the mind alike, conveys a deep appreciation of two incomparable winegrowing cultures, united despite their differences by a common ambition to produce the best wines in the world.

About this title

About the Author

Jean-Robert Pitte is professor of geography and president of the University of Paris IV-Sorbonne. He is the author or editor of twelve previous books, including French Gastronomy and History of the French Landscape.

From the Back Cover

"A fascinating social history of the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy from their origins to the present day: their contrasts and rivalries, their advocates and their detractors. This will entertain all lovers of the wines of the two greatest regions in the world."―Clive Coates, MW, author of The Wines of Bordeaux

"Anyone who thinks they are only grape-varieties apart must read this. It brilliantly evokes two cultures as different as...Bordeaux and Burgundy."―Hugh Johnson, author of The World Atlas of Wine

"A mouthwatering journey in search of tastes and flavors. . . . A striking synthesis of remarkable horizons."―Le Monde

"A well documented book delivered in an earthy style, to be read without moderation, whether you prefer Bordeaux or Burgundy."―Alternatives économiques

From the Inside Flap

"A fascinating social history of the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy from their origins to the present day: their contrasts and rivalries, their advocates and their detractors. This will entertain all lovers of the wines of the two greatest regions in the world."—Clive Coates, MW, author of The Wines of Bordeaux

"Anyone who thinks they are only grape-varieties apart must read this. It brilliantly evokes two cultures as different as...Bordeaux and Burgundy."—Hugh Johnson, author of The World Atlas of Wine

"A mouthwatering journey in search of tastes and flavors. . . . A striking synthesis of remarkable horizons."—Le Monde

"A well documented book delivered in an earthy style, to be read without moderation, whether you prefer Bordeaux or Burgundy."—Alternatives économiques

Reviews

Pitte, a specialist in wine geographies, relates a long and fierce oenophile war in this charming history. Although Bordeaux wine has been an engine of innovation in the world of viticulture—British and Dutch merchants began marketing it in the late seventeenth century, and the Bordeaux bottle, whose familiar profile was created in the nineteenth century, became an international standard—Burgundy long dominated the tastes of Parisian élites. For Pitte, Burgundy, more aromatic, alcoholic, and full-bodied, is the "prince of sensual wines" and Bordeaux the prince of serious wines. The two princes, it seems, reign over the two halves of the French soul—Catholic, peasant, Rabelaisian Burgundy vs. bourgeois, dirigiste Bordeaux. Pitte attempts to make peace, but the reader may feel that the rivalry is so characteristically French that any rapprochement would be a pity.
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Edition details

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0520249402
• ISBN 13: 9780520249400
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 268