- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Chronicle Books; New edition edition (Jun 1 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0811829529
- ISBN-13: 978-0811829526
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.8 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 499 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,508,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Raymond Chandler bristled at being called "one of the greatest mystery writers of all time"; he considered himself a good writer who just happened to write mysteries. Wine writing has its own system of pigeonholes--a grape ghetto, if you will--in which the reader is secondary and the tasting note is king. Happily, Vineyard Tales proves one thing: Gerald Asher is an excellent writer who just happens to write about wine--as well as the people and the land that shape it. In 29 essays, most of which have appeared in slightly altered form on the pages of Gourmet magazine, to which he contributes regularly as the wine editor, Asher demonstrates his gifts as researcher, historian, phrase turner, and storyteller. Like a master winemaker, Asher skillfully blends tannic opinion (anyone on the quixotic quest for the perfect food/wine pairing should find his piece "Wine and Food" the final word on the subject) with floral grace notes (his "Orvieto: Fair Lily of Umbria" is layered with romance worthy of subtitling on Bravo Network). He merges structure and backbone (he's the history teacher you wish you had, dropping tidbits like: in 1869, 42 percent of U.S. wine came from Missouri; in 18th century England, London merchants openly added Syrah to their Bordeaux--"Hermitaged" wines fetching a premium) with style and length on the finish (the punch line of "Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon" is pure O. Henry, while "Letter from Burgundy" contains observations such as, "Difficult wines improve with the years about as often as difficult people do").
As with any case lot, the occasional corkiness wafts off Vineyard Tales: no essays are dated, so references to "recent" vintages confuse, while accounts of Asher barrel-tasting vintages of wines now long gone lend a musty air to otherwise fresh writing. And if he can't completely shake the wine writer's tendency to "bottle drop" (in Asher's case, an 1899 Haut-Brion), he never abandons his audience. As Asher writes in his introduction, "In every glass of wine, I have found, is a story. In these pages I will tell you some of my favorites." Lovers of wine--or good writing that just happens to be about it--won't be disappointed. --Tony Mason
From Booklist
Given the opportunity, anyone who enjoys wine will savor this book. Asher has devoted nearly a quarter of a century to his position as wine editor at Gourmet magazine, and he writes superbly, entertainingly, and with international scope about wineries and the vintners responsible for tending the grapes where fine wines are produced. This is no pedantic discourse, but, rather, intimate, appealing accounts of Asher's vineyard visits, including places that may not be well known to the average wine drinker as well as renowned wine-producing areas. Anecdotes often combine authoritative insights with outright enthusiasm for the simple pleasures even a modest wine can provide. There is much to be learned from Asher's expertise and even more to delight in among these spirited essays. Alice Joyce
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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THERE HAD BEEN VIOLENT STORMS ON CRETE ALL WEEK. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
THERE HAD BEEN VIOLENT STORMS ON CRETE ALL WEEK. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good collection for the very serious,
By
This review is from: Vineyard Tales (Hardcover)
This is not necessarily the best wine book of its kind, but its category is not as populated as it should be, so Gerald Asher's contribution is welcome. Not many treatments cover a diverse array of regions, aim to educate on wine rather than merely review it, have arguments to make, and remain unapologetic about the seriousness with which they approach the subject. Other such books may be written by more prolific tasters (Robert Parker) or are more comprehensive in scope (Frank Prial's), but none appear to rival the depth of Asher's knowledge.Drawing on what must be an impressive library, chapters on Burgundy, Sauternes, and Château Haut-Brion give readers a sense of what these wines were like two hundred years ago with the lucidity of a tasting note scripted today. Other chapters are equally informative but less interesting, reflecting Asher's frustrating tendency to draft an essay so rich in information that it is almost scholarly. Many chapters are more valuable as a source of research (should one ever need it) than as a literary companion to a glass of wine on a lazy night. The unremarkable essay on Hermitage is written as though it were a university term paper -- presenting the history of the appellation, right down to citations to Plutarch and a tome on the history of wine published in 1824, but saying comparatively little about the wine and its virtues. Similarly, the chapter on Corbières takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the Visigoths' sacking of Rome, the Inquisition, and the court of the Sun-King, but if you want to learn more about the character of Corbières wine and whether it would please your palate, you must look elsewhere. What makes Asher's book worthwhile is its open-mindedness towards wine regions that do not generally receive gushing reviews or haughty fanfare. Asher has written the definitive piece on California's Edna Valley region, known for its crisp and flavorful Chardonnays, and he also reports from Long Island, Washington, and even Missouri. More chapters are about American wine than any other country's. But judging from Asher's passion for Barbaresco and Orvieto, even the author would be happier seeing Italy better represented.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Remembrance of Things Past: tales from wine tasting,
By
This review is from: Vineyard Tales: Reflections on Wine (Paperback)
This book is a collection of wine tales. Each of them could stand by itself as a refreshing piece to read. The virtue is that the collection of tales approach wines from the way we remember wines: time, ambience, location and a bit of history of the place. The writer lets you know what he likes and why he does! It is a perspective useful when you are able to find some of the wines that are discussed and taste them. If you know that the overwhelming taste of OAK is not a sign of aging potential, this book is for you!
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews) 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding and informative for neophytes and professionals,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Vineyard Tales (Hardcover)
Gerald Asher's book is approachable and a joy to read, yet reveals a glimpse of the scholarly depth of his knowledge of food and wine. It is not full of vintage charts, wine reviews, buying suggestions or other mundane (and otherwise ubiquitous) information; rather, it is a charming collection of experiences and history, of wine regions and their principal characters and vineyards. This book is a wonderful complement to anyone's food and wine book library - no matter how large or small.Full disclosure: Gerald is a friend, and I can assure you that the previous reviewer's understanding that he is not stuffy or pretentious is absolutely accurate, and this fact comes out in the most natural way in the book. 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wine lover's treasure chest of short stories.,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Vineyard Tales (Hardcover)
I was prepared to find a dull book. So many wine books are that way. This is an entertaining collection of short stories about making wine, eating food, walking in the vineyards all over the world. It is a history of wine without being boring at all. I started reading it randomly and found that I forgot I read a particular story a few weeks ago because Asher tells such a good tale
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Remembrance of Things Past: tales from wine tasting,
By Jose E. Cavazos - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Vineyard Tales: Reflections on Wine (Paperback)
This book is a collection of wine tales. Each of them could stand by itself as a refreshing piece to read. The virtue is that the collection of tales approach wines from the way we remember wines: time, ambience, location and a bit of history of the place. The writer lets you know what he likes and why he does! It is a perspective useful when you are able to find some of the wines that are discussed and taste them. If you know that the overwhelming taste of OAK is not a sign of aging potential, this book is for you!
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