|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
|
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Hungarian-Canadian author and sailor Máté (The Hills of Tuscany) recounts in wry, candid detail how he rebuilt a Tuscan ruin into a world-class winery. Living in Tuscany with his artist wife and son while savoring the landscape, food and pleasant neighbors wasn't enough for Máté, who admits he thrives on adversity. He wanted his own castle and finagles the purchase of a 13th-century friary in Montalcino, with a proper forno (oven), a forest crammed with porcini and 60 acres of land—15 of which he fashions over three hard years of work into a vineyard sprouting robust harvests of Sangiovese, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and Syrah grapes. His diary of sorts regales the reader on the process of restoring the ancient ruin, called La Colombaio: first by detailing how an Etruscan house was constructed, then by observing how the various workmen were hired (and what they ate for lunch). While hacking in the forest, he finds the remains of a 3,000-year-old city, inviting the interest of archeologists. Máté breaks from the construction and excavation for treks through the Dolomites before returning to prepare for the toilsome but ultimately satisfying vendemmia (harvest). (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
A light read with a fairy-tale ending, for readers who dream about a charming Under the Tuscan Sun lifestyle. -- Kirkus Review
Maté recounts in wry, candid detail how he rebuilt a Tuscan ruin into a world-class winery. -- Publishers Weekly --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Maté recounts in wry, candid detail how he rebuilt a Tuscan ruin into a world-class winery. -- Publishers Weekly --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A marvellous read,
By gt (Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Vineyard In Tuscany (Hardcover)
Any reader seeking a dissertation on transforming sangiovese into anelegant Brunello or a treatise on the mechanics of restoring a historic but derelict property in Tuscany may wish to look elsewhere than Ferenc Mate's "A Vineyard in Tuscany". This is definitely not a "how to" book. Nor was it intended to be. In many ways it is a "how not to" book as Mr. Mate humorously entertains us with his many setbacks in exploring the beautiful hills around Montalcino in Tuscany searching for the perfect property and vineyard to restore as a home for he and his writer/artist wife, Candace, and young son, Peter. After describing his mis-adventures in finding the property, Mr. Mate then regales the reader with how he and his, apparently very talented, wife, through perseverance and hard work, and with the assistance of a diverse crew of memorable local characters, lovingly transform a 13th ----century friary into a beautiful home and then set about producing award winning wines. (Mr. Mate is not remiss in advising that it helped him enormously to have purchased property surrounded by vineyards owned by two of the great Italian winemakers; Gaja and Banfi!) A Caution. "A Vineyard in Tuscany" was such a great weekend read it encouraged me to rush out to pick up the author's prequel, "The Hills of Tuscany" which chronicles how he and his wife came to leave North America and settle in Tuscany. As a reader with a taste for wine, "A Vineyard" and "Hills"" also prompted me to search out and purchase some of Mr. Mate's wines, the memory of a delicious Merlot will stand out for quite some time. It turns out that the Mates are not only gifted writers but very talented winemakers. A further caution. Reading the book and drinking the wine was apparently not enough to satiate the desires within me awakened by Mr. Mate's beautiful writing and evocative portrayal of the landscape and people of Tuscany. Following the reading, I immediately changed my 2009 vacation plans and booked a trip to the hills of Tuscany in the hope of appreciating a small portion the beauty of the countryside and the charms of the locals experienced by the Mate family. What James Herriot did for the Yorkshire Dales and Peter Mayle did for Provence, Mr. Mate will do for Tuscany. Be careful reading this book. The desires it brings out in you may turn out to be very expensive to satisfy!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring,
This review is from: A Vineyard In Tuscany (Paperback)
This book was one suggested by a fellow reader for our book club. I was the presenter of the book for our meeting. I loved this book. It is a true story and an inspirational tale. This book was so visual in it's writing, I could actually picture myself being there alongside. What an incredible journey Ference Mate took. From his humble beginnings to where he lives now. If you have a dream, are creative, with a passion anything is possible. His story is amazing. His wine devine!! This is the first book you should read about his life and how he got to where he is. For book clubs, it is fantastic. I was able to find some pictures of his winery and home online. I was able to see the surrounding town of Montalcino online. I was able to buy his wine and have a wine tasting at our book club meeting. So much fun. Now I must go and see for myself this beautiful "Vineyard in Tuscany." Donna Richardson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A pleasure for the eyes and the senses,
This review is from: A Vineyard In Tuscany (Paperback)
In 2 days I fell in love with Tuscany. Being french we had adopted Provence as our destinations quite a few time. But next is Tuscany. Thank You Monsieur Màté.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Memoirs
- Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Drinks & Beverages > Wine > Wine & Winemaking
- Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Gastronomy > Essays
- Books > New & Used Textbooks
- Books > Outdoors & Nature > Environment
- Books > Science > Nature & Ecology > Environment
- Books > Travel > Europe > Italy
- Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Essays & Travelogues
- Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Travel Writing
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
