Taking four themes as its starting point, this book reveals the strong interconnectedness of Ukraine’s turbulent history, the country’s permanent social and political unrest and the work of Ukrainian artists. Against Oppression, Forgotten Histories, Spaces of Freedom and Thoughts on the Future each reflect the dynamic between the drive for freedom and the mechanisms of oppression.
The rose is generally seen as the most romantic flower. No other plant blooms for so long and profusely, and comes in so many different shapes, scents and colors. Roses deserve a place in everyone’s home, outside – in the garden or on the balcony – but certainly also indoors on the table. The Joy of Roses answers every question you may have about roses: from the history of the rose to applications in the home. The different types of roses are discussed in detail with descriptions of the flower, the scent, the thorns, the inflorescence and information about the best place for this specific species. The book also provides information about cultivators, which flowers go well with roses and their care. Anneke Beemer’s beautiful photos complete the book.
Inspired by poets, draftsmen and printmakers, painters also discovered Haarlem and its beautiful surroundings as rewarding subjects for their work. Jacob van Ruisdael and Gerrit Berckheyde both repeatedly pictured the city – the former with his ‘Haerlempjes’, where heavy cloudy skies dominate the landscape and the unmistakable St Bavo’s Church stands on the horizon. Berckheyde is known for his atmospheric cityscapes: the Grote Markt, with St Bavo’s as the focal point, the Weigh House on the River Spaarne and the city gates.
The name Johann Joachim Kaendler (1706–1775) is closely entwined in the 18th century with the golden age of the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory. His exceptional artistic talent, coupled with craftsmanship, enabled him to capture the daily life of the nobility in their palaces and residences in numerous figures and groups. In doing so, he did not limit himself to official events but reflected tastes and aspirations as well as current trends. In the publication Magnificence of Rococo impressive porcelain figurines from top-class European private collections are brought together for the first time: on over 300 pages, these magnificent, often unique objects provide insights into courtly life of the Baroque and Rococo periods.
This book is an attempt to answer the questions: What makes historic architecture awe-inspiring? How have the Indian architectural masterpieces retained their vitality even after so many centuries? What spatial qualities and organizational principles have rendered them timeless?
At the outset the author sets forth fundamental Indian philosophical and ideological tenets—the Indian notion of time, the duality of existence, the concept of a world within a world, the idea of opposites as counterpoints, the role of semiotics in providing visual clues in architecture, and the changing perception of space while in movement. The study unravels the inherent virtues of traditional Indian architecture, inferred and exemplified in a range of traditional Indian architectural examples.
Discussion of each site is illustrated with a wealth of visual materials—photographs, architectural plans with analytic overlays and volumetric constructs. Miniature-style reproductions drawn for each example reconstruct their spatial, environmental and experiential qualities and are used to demonstrate the universality of communication in Indian architecture.
The notions of space are made physically manifest in architecture through the different elements that constitute the basic identifiable parts of the manmade or built environment. Each of these elements possess attributes inherent to their morphological construct which endow them as particular spatial properties, providing potential for their use and design in architectural compositions.
This book examines the inherent attributes of ‘spacemaking’ elements, namely roofs, walls, doors, windows, columns, stairs and floors and analyzes their implicit influences in the design of space. It traces the linguistic origin of the terms as well as the evolution of each element through history from primeval structures to modern architecture. The effective applications of these are illustrated through extensive drawings and sketches of detailed case studies from all over the world.
The Veronese wine regions of Soave and Valpolicella – home to Amarone – are currently producing some of the world’s most drinkable quality wines. But both regions still struggle with a reputation for cheap, poor-quality wines brought about through industrial-scale production during the economic depression following the Second World War. In Amarone and the Fine Wines of Verona, Italian wine specialist Michael Garner traces a shift in focus towards new levels of quality driven by a generation of producers inspired by the area’s outstanding potential for producing fine wine.
Both regions produce versatile wines which, as well as being both deliciously drinkable and relatively affordable, have the flavor and structure to accompany a wide range of foods. In Valpolicella an appassimento wine, the famed Amarone, has gained comparable status to Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino, while Soave overlaps with the tiny denomination of Lessini Durello, where sparkling wine is produced from the rare, local white grape Durella.
Garner begins Amarone and the fine wines of Verona with a summary of the region’s history, before detailing its geography, grape varieties and approach to both viticulture and winemaking, leading into a discussion of each denomination’s character and wine styles. A cross-section of around 100 producers provides a capsule profile of each, along with analysis of some of their best and most distinctive wines.
For students of wine, those in the wine business and wine adventurers alike, Amarone and the Fine Wines of Verona provides a gateway to a sorely misunderstood wine region.
Once brewed throughout Asia, sake has come to be inextricably linked with Japanese culture, tradition and society. In Sake and the Wines of Japan, Anthony Rose argues that, after decades in the doldrums, sake is well on its way to becoming the next big thing. Neither a wine nor a spirit, sake’s purity, centuries-old brewing methods and umami taste have gained it fans among the sort of younger drinkers who sparked the revolution in craft beers and artisan spirits. A return to quality, plus the modern outlook of today’s generation of sake makers is opening up sake, particularly premium sake, to the world. Exports have increased and sake breweries, some artisan, some offshoots of big Japanese names, have sprung up in destinations as far flung as Oregon and Australia, not forgetting England.
To demonstrate how deeply woven into Japanese society this drink is, Rose first takes us through the history of sake production, from offerings to the gods made from rice chewed by priestesses, to the heyday of sake, when master craftsmen – tōjis – were instrumental in a brewery’s success or failure, to sake’s new wave, epitomized by Berlin techno DJ Richie Hawtin, founder of ENTER.Sake. Rose then details sake types, demystifies polishing ratios, explores the issues around ageing sake and discusses how best to enjoy sake. The four basic ingredients – rice, kōji (rice mould), yeast and water – are introduced ahead of a thorough explanation of the brewing process. Rose profiles a personal selection of sake producers and ends the sake section with a chapter on sake producers outside Japan.
Japan’s wine industry is small and young but improving rapidly; here some of the best exponents are profiled alongside a history of wine production in Japan and details of grape varieties used. Sake and the wines of Japan ends with a guide to Japan, making it an essential tool for all those seeking a way into this enigmatic and enticing culture.
It is extraordinary enough that one small area in north-eastern France, on the northern edge of Europe’s wine-growing regions, should be capable of producing the finest sparkling wine in the world, one of the few worth discussing as a wine and not merely as a sparkling beverage. Yet Champagne fascinates not only wine lovers, but also historians – social, economic, political – linguists, physiologists, physicists and chemists. The long-awaited new edition of Nicholas Faith’s landmark The Story of Champagne tells the tale of Champagne from the winemakers’ point of view. This classic study of the world’s greatest wine is a masterpiece of storytelling and analysis that has for decades sent readers away with renewed excitement about the different types of Champagne and the landscape, geology and climate that inspire them. The story of champagne explores the history of Champagne from its origins in the seventeenth century to the high-tech industry of the twenty-first before examining the wine itself, how it is made, the crus, the vines and the harvest. Faith provides completely up-to-date statistics on wine production and consumption and finishes the book with an all-important evaluation of today’s most important producers. The Story of Champagne is essential reading for anyone interested in the world’s most celebrated wine.
Eastern Europe is the last undiscovered gem of the wine world. Over the last thirty years three countries, Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova have been working hard to escape the legacy of communism. For all three the regimes that took hold after the Second World War affected their wine industries profoundly, with state farms favoring mechanization and mass production over care and quality. Recent decades have seen a huge switch in attitudes following privatization, with more focus on quality and reconnecting people with the land to rebuild these historic wine industries for today’s wine drinkers.
Bulgarian wine’s fall in sales in the West due to the rising popularity of New World wines, Moldova’s economic crisis at the hands of a Russian ban on Moldovan wine and Romania’s need to counter imports from foreign producers as tastes in wine change have forced wineries to rethink their approaches to viticulture and winemaking. Instead of production lines of anonymous wines, makers now focus on creating authentic regional wines using local and international varieties and modern techniques.
In The wines of Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova, Eastern European wine expert Caroline Gilby MW presents the wine stories of these three connected but distinct countries as one who has witnessed the vast changes as they happened. The cultures of the three countries, their complex and troubled histories and their roads to recovery are profiled here along with details of the geography, climate, grapes grown and, most importantly, the producers working to revive and reinvent their respective wine industries.
For those who seek something new beyond the traditional wines of Western Europe or who find New World wines losing their thrill The Wines of Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova is an inspirational introduction to a wine world waiting to be explored.
Chablis has a distinct identity amongst the wines of Burgundy. The gently sloping vineyards of this small, scenic region produce a remarkably diverse range of wines, even though all are made from just one variety – Chardonnay.
As in other parts of France, it was the Romans who introduced vines and the medieval Church which expanded the vineyard. By the twelfth century the wines of Chablis, were already being celebrated in poetry. However, over the centuries a considerable amount of everyday wine also found its way via the river Yonne to the cafés of Paris. In its heyday of production towards the end of the nineteenth century the region encompassed 40,000 hectares of vines. But that was before phylloxera and oidium ravaged the vineyards and the railways brought competition from further south to the capital’s wine drinkers.
From a low point of 500 hectares just after the Second World War, the vineyard has now expanded more than tenfold, and quality has increased too. Wines in the appellation’s four categories – grand cru, premier cru, Chablis and Petit Chablis – are created by vignerons keen to work with the terroir to produce the elegant, mineral, long-lived wines for which the region earned its reputation. To this end, ever greater care is being taken in the vineyards and the routine use of chemicals is becoming increasingly uncommon.
The region’s history, unique soil, geography and climate are all covered in detail, but it is Rosemary George’s lively and insightful profiles of those who make the region’s wines that form the body of The wines of Chablis and the Grand Auxerrois. Through the lives of these vignerons – from the lows of disastrous weather to their love of the land – she paints a unique picture of a much-admired region.
This historic wine nation at the heart of Europe produces a diverse range of wines – Riesling above all, but also compelling Spätburgunder, aka Pinot Noir, and Silvaner, amongst others. Yet in the minds of many it is still associated with mass-produced sweetish plonk. But following a bruising twentieth century, German wine over the past thirty years has experienced a renaissance. In The Wines of Germany, Master of Wine Anne Krebiehl takes us with her on a journey through vineyards clustered along the country’s many winding rivers to uncover this new world of German wine.
She begins with a thorough explanation of German wine law – a subject so complicated that it can alienate all but the most dedicated wine enthusiast – taking a historical perspective and showing how current moves to review the law could considerably simplify it. It is only right that Riesling, the light and aromatic grape synonymous with this country, gets a chapter all to itself, as does Spätburgunder. Plantings of this grape doubled between 1990 and 2010 to make Germany the third-largest grower worldwide. As an enthusiast for Sekt, Krebiehl is keen to explain how far from the tank-produced wines of past decades this sparkling wine has come, with artisan winemakers across the regions returning to the old methods to create bottle-fermented Sekts of quality.
Taking the thirteen regions in turn, Krebiehl explains the unique history, geography and climate of each, presenting a selection of some of her favorite producers. From the famed steep slopes of the Mosel, where Riesling reaches its pinnacle of expression, through the largest region, Rheinhessen, home of the infamous Liebfraumilch, to less well-known regions such as Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen, Krebiehl paints a vivid picture of each region’s unique offering, inspiring readers to begin their own explorations.
Great Britain is a premium wine-producing region, with around 650 vineyards in England and Wales covering some 2,750 hectares and producing sparkling and still wines. English and Welsh wines have won many prestigious awards recently and Stephen Skelton is the leading authority on the wines of the UK.
The Wines of Great Britain is a comprehensive survey of the history of UK wines, as well as of the current state of the wine industry and its future prospects. After a short introduction showing where UK wine is in 2019 and where it might go in the future Skelton considers the history of winemaking in the UK from King Alfred in the fifth century, through the medieval period to recent developments in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The Wines of Great Britain then takes us on a tour of contemporary viticulture and winemaking, examining trends in plantings and vineyard layout, varieties, rootstocks and clones, vineyard sizes, modern wineries and styles of wine. Skelton considers regional identities as well as the branding of UK sparkling wines and their market position.
A substantial part of this important book is the 21 detailed biographies of the most important, exciting and innovative producers and the wines they create. Wine businesses profiled in detail include Breaky Bottom, Chapel Down, Nyetimber, Oxney Organic Estate, Sixteen Ridges Vineyard and Yorkshire Heart Vineyard. Shorter entries on other significant or up and coming producers also feature.
New Zealand’s wine industry has grown rapidly over the last 30 years, with the world’s wine drinkers falling particularly hard for the Marlborough region’s distinctive Sauvignon Blancs. But New Zealand wine goes far beyond the exuberant whites grown in the north of its South Island.
In The Wines of New Zealand Master of Wine Rebecca Gibb takes us on a vinous journey through Aotearoa (‘land of the long white cloud’) and opens our eyes to the huge variety of wines created throughout the two islands of one of the world’s most southerly wine-producing lands. She begins by covering the history of winemaking in New Zealand – the first grapes were planted 200 years ago, but it has only recently realized its potential. There is then an introduction to the New Zealand climate and the leading grapes – including 10 ‘must-try’ wines for each variety.
The major wine producing regions are detailed in turn, from Northland, the most northerly and warmest region, offering ripe Chardonnays and rich reds, to the cooler South Island, where bright whites and nuanced Pinot Noirs abound. Profiles, including recommended wines, are given for a selection of the country’s nearly 700 producers, providing an overview of the most exciting wineries and their differing approaches to viticulture and winemaking. For those readers seeking to complete their exploration of this breathtaking country in person, there is a useful chapter giving details on wine-related activities in New Zealand.
This expert and accessible guide to New Zealand wines is a refreshing addition to the library of any wine enthusiast.
Wine production in south-west France goes back a long way. The region includes some of the first districts in France (notably Gaillac) to be planted with vines, by the Romans more than two thousand years ago. It is also the earliest-known location of scores of grape varieties, some of them precursors of international varieties such as Malbec and Cabernet Franc.
Although today south-west France is the fourth region of France in terms of wine production very few wine consumers are familiar with more than two or three of its appellations. Cahors and Madiran are well-known appellations but we don’t hear (or read) much about less fashionable appellations such as Rosette and Béarn. As a result the wines generally command relatively low prices.
This book covers all the important aspects of south-west France in an accessible way. Although it includes the mass-produced wines of the region it focuses on quality wines made in more limited volumes. Although a number of the appellations of south-west France share similar climatic conditions (such as the influence of the Atlantic), the many small AOPs vary significantly in soils and topography, grape varieties, and the styles of wines they produce. They range from the botrytized sweet whites of Monbazillac to the teeth-staining reds of Cahors, from the distinctive dry whites of Jurançon to the tannic reds of Madiran.
Phillips begins with a brief history of the region and provides an overview of the region today before considering the wines of the various sub-regions in turn, including land and climate, grape varieties, wine styles, and wine law, together with entries on their most notable producers. All colors of wine are made in south-west France, as are dry and sweet wines and sparkling and still wines. The rich diversity of the world of wine is represented in south-west France, and it is this very diversity of grape varieties and wine styles that makes the region so compelling.
Faugères is one of the most individual appellations of the Languedoc. Although it produces white and rosé wines, the appellation is most famous for its rich, elegant reds. The Faugères wine appellation was created in 1982 and is now producing consistently excellent wines, the secret lying in the hills surrounding the village of Faugères where the schist, or decayed slate makes for wines with a distinctive freshness and minerality.
Currently little-known outside of France, the wines of Faugères are rapidly becoming the stars of the Languedoc. Rosemary George’s The Wines of Faugères is a comprehensive guide to the wines of a remarkably compact and homogeneous area which covers just seven villages and a couple of hamlets but produces an intriguing variety of different wines within the framework of the appellation. The Wines of Faugères covers the history, geography and climate of the region, as well as its grape varieties and viticulture, before profiling the individual producers and their wines. It ends with an invaluable assessment of vintages going back to the creation of the appellation in 1982.
The Wines of Faugères features the most up-to-date information on this beautiful region and its characterful wines, providing an indispensable guide to a small but fascinating appellation.
The Languedoc is a land of mountains, sea and Cathar castles in the south of France. For much of its history the region has also been seen as the home of rustic table wines with no international reputation. However, over the last 40 years the wines have improved enormously, with innovations in both vineyards and cellars, helped by the development of appellations and IGPs recognizing the individuality of its different areas. Now boasting more than 2,500 wine producers, the Languedoc has attracted interest from around the world, thanks to its affordable land and exciting creative possibilities.
The Languedoc is best known for its spicy reds, often made from one or more of the classic quintet of varieties, Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre and Syrah. However, it is also gaining a reputation for its whites, with the coastal appellation Picpoul de Pinet in particular seeing a rise in popularity, and for its rosés, producing twice as much as its fashionable neighbor Provence. The Languedoc is also home to the world’s oldest sparkling wine, Blanquette de Limoux, and to vins doux naturels in the form of delicious, sweet Muscats.
It is in the twenty-first century above all that the Languedoc has really found its place among the great wine regions. Here, Rosemary George MW profiles a selection of those producers who have made and continue to boost the region’s reputation. Some are newcomers, while others are inheritors of family businesses, many of whom have studied oenology or learned winemaking elsewhere. All are passionate about what they do, continuing to improve their wines with every vintage.
The Languedoc is one of the world’s largest and most exciting wine regions, making Wines of the Languedoc essential reading for professionals and enthusiasts alike.
This insightful book examines in detail the lesser-known wines of Bordeaux – the dry whites, the rosés (including Clairet), the sweet wines (beyond just the famed Sauternes) and the relative newcomer crémant, the sparkling wine which now represents almost 1.5 per cent of all Bordeaux wine. The White Wines of Bordeaux examines the history and evolution of these less well-known wine styles and colors, and profiles the grape varieties planted. It highlights the different terroirs and vineyards across Bordeaux, and spotlights the grower–producers, their stories and their wines, which occupy the emerging ‘middle’ in an area that has traditionally been polarized as cru classé or generic. The book identifies and discusses the challenges the region and its growers face and assess important catalysts for change such as climate change, new markets made by globally traveled younger generations, a focus on sustainability and wine tourism.
The landlocked country of Austria, at the center of Europe, produces a great variety of quality wines. While the wine scandal of the mid-eighties caused a temporary setback, and put many blameless producers out of business, it also allowed serious winemakers a chance to focus and innovate. Stephen Brook has been fascinated by the country and its wines for more than 40 years, seeing it through its worst times to the multi-faceted wine producer it has become today. In this second edition of The Wines of Austria Brook takes readers on a vinous journey to explore the best Austria has to offer. Today, in a growing area less than half the size of Bordeaux, Austria is producing not only fabulous white and sweet wines but also reds, rosés, amber wines, Sekts and pétillants naturels. Nearly all the wine growing takes place in the east of the country, in four broad regions. In the largest, Niederösterreich, most of the vineyards lie along the Danube valley, where white wines that include Burgundy-beating Grüner Veltliners are produced, while the south-eastern part of the region specialises in reds from Austrian varieties. The eastern region of Burgenland is warm and humid, allowing the production of botrytized sweet wines. Green and bucolic Steiermark yields invigorating, refreshing whites as well as a unique rosé, Schilcher. The capital, Vienna, contains more than 600 hectares of vineyard, with much of the wine produced sold in the city’s many Heurigen, and is also the capital of Gemischter Satz. Brook provides a detailed account of the climate, terroir and winemaking in each of the 16 major wine regions. The producers selected in each have been thoroughly updated for this edition, with many wines tasted up to the 2018 vintage. Also included is a chapter on the major varieties and a summary of vintages from 1963 to 2018.
“It’s less of a traditional reference book and more of a meditation on place – through its people, purpose, and possibility. With a healthy yet necessary and perhaps overdue dose of historical context, political awareness, nuance, and care, they offer a portrait of California wine that finally acknowledges all the hands that shaped it.” — Decanter
“This book is core, essential. For anyone just beginning their journey, this will put wine in context in straightforward language with little jargon…. Brown’s book is both current and timeless. Chukan Brown takes at in-depth look at the forces that made, moved and continue to shape Califorina wine. In investigating the history, they look hard at the instrumental part played by Indigenous Peoples and the reliance of the wine (and other agricultural sectors) on inexpensive farm labour. It will appeal to an audience far beyond the typical wine book reader.” — Grape Collective
A concise, complete, smartly delivered and cohesive book for serious readers and students of wine. Focusing on the world’s fourth largest producer of wine – California – the book takes readers on a journey through the golden state’s wines, paying due attention to famous regions such as Sonoma and Napa as well as introducing readers to exciting up-and-coming regions to explore.
The book is divided into three major sections. The first presents the key ideas that help make sense of California wine as a whole, including the history of California wine in brief, how the topography delivers California’s overarching climatic and soil conditions, and the basics of vineyard and winery factors relevant to the state such as the role of the AVA.
The second section takes each major region in turn and looks into its history, growing conditions and varieties, as well as discussing the most significant and interesting producers. A final section looks at current themes in Californian wine and discusses the future of the industry across the state.
- Explains all the state’s AVAs, examining the development, growing conditions and varietal trends for each.
- Profiles the main producers and individuals shaping the wine industry today.
- A useful reference on California that also provides alternative insights and insider knowledge.
- Author Elaine Chukan Brown is a prolific commentator on the wines of California and a speaker at events around the globe.
- Supported by color maps and photos.
Wine has been made commercially in Canada since the mid-1800s but Canadian wine has only really begun to register with professionals and consumers outside the country in the last few decades, as quality has dramatically improved. Canadian wine is now being exported in meaningful volumes to the USA, Asia and Europe and since the beginning of this century the number of wineries has increased more than 250 per cent. In recent years wine regions have been demarcated (with some divided into sub-appellations), provincial wine laws have been adopted and indigenous and hybrid vines have largely been replaced by Vitis vinifera varieties in the main wine regions.
After taking readers through the history of winemaking in Canada, The Wines of Canada provides an overview of the country’s wine regions, their climate, soil and other geographic conditions, and explains noteworthy viticultural and winemaking techniques, such as the practice in some regions of burying vines to protect them from extreme winter temperatures. Phillips details key producers of the main wine-producing provinces (British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia), assessing their wines and providing relevant details for those planning winery visits. The book concludes with appendices covering vintage reports, Canadian wine festivals and provincial wine-selling laws.
As the first comprehensive guide to one of the wine world’s rising stars, The Wines of Canada is an eye-opening book for scholars, students and wine aficionados alike.
The companion volume to Evans’ The Wines of Northern Spain explores the great variety of wines produced across the rest of Spain. Beginning in the east with Catalunya, the book journeys south down the Mediterranean coast to the Levante. The heart of Spain, including Madrid and La Mancha, is explored before we reach Andalucia in the south and voyage on to the Balearic and Canary Islands. The regions covered could not be more different, separated by language, customs and history as well as by gastronomy and wines. After a chapter on key grape varieties Evans explores each region in turn, relating its history, exploring current trends in winemaking and viticulture and profiling the key producers. There is also a chapter on Spain’s sparkling wines.
Although rightly famed for the wines of Rioja, the north of Spain has even more to offer the wine adventurer. Criss-crossed by rivers, its landscape ranges from the dramatic Pyrenees in the north-east to the low inlets of the Atlantic coast in the west. Growers – and consumers – can enjoy a diversity of terroirs and an exciting array of native varieties.
This introduction to the wines of northern Spain explores the changes, starting in the west, where the wineries of Galicia – from Rías Baixas to Valdeorras – have multiplied, while Bierzo is building a reputation for aromatic, refreshing reds, and Castilla y León is home to a growing number of individual, top quality producers. Traveling east, the success of Ribera del Duero has attracted investors from outside the region, all eager to gain a share of the limelight, while Aragón is busy building an international reputation for its venerable bush vine Garnachas. Across the country, a new generation is joining established producers in a remarkable blossoming of fine wines. Extensive producer profiles and established and well-known estates mingle on the page with newer makers and small producers to provide a thoroughly up-to-date and indispensable reference. For all wine enthusiasts keen to explore this region – whether in person or from a favourite armchair – The Wines of Northern Spain is essential reading.
Richard Mayson has had a fifty-year relationship with Portugal. During those years Portugal has changed greatly, as have its wines. The cooperatives and wine merchants of the 1970s produced patriotically Portuguese blended wines with little sense of place. Dão, Bairrada and Vinho Verde all existed as demarcated regions but were not fulfilling their potential. Alentejo was unrecognized as a region and unfortified Douro wines were merely a curiosity. The last half century has seen a proliferation of new regions and smaller wine producers growing grapes and making wine expressive of Portugal’s many recognized terroirs.
The Wines of Portugal begins by detailing the history of Portuguese wine, noting particularly how the long-standing relationship with Britain was instrumental in creating a market for wine. The grapes, including the country’s many indigenous varieties, are analyzed in terms of their performance in Portugal’s various terroirs. Mayson then goes on to present the regions in four broad categories: wines from the Atlantic littoral, mountain wines, plains wines of the south and the island wines of Madeira and the Azores. A chapter on rosé wine examines how brands such as Mateus kick-started the post-war wine industry, while another explores sparkling wine, for which most DOCs include a provision and which has experienced a recent revival in interest. The producer profiles feature Portugal’s leading growers, from the historically important to drivers of change and interesting newcomers.
This thorough study from an acknowledged expert in Portuguese wine is an essential addition to any wine-enthusiast’s library.