From Amazon.co.uk
Tiring, it would seem, of wine encyclopaedias and buyers' guides, Hugh Johnson has turned his hand to pornography. For what else can one call this ravishing volume, manifestly designed to excite sensual pleasure?
Tuscany and Its Wines is a sumptuous, first-class guided wine tour of this beautiful, ancient region. Perhaps as much as anywhere else in Europe, Tuscany has retained aspects of all epochs of its history, as far back as the pre-Roman Etruscans and possibly earlier. However, as Hugh Johnson points out, until only a generation or two ago, the wines (and, to some extent, the food) of the region was without ambition and pretty rudimentary. Now, though, Tuscany produces some of the greatest wines in the world and the overall quality is rising all the time. There could not be a more exciting time to accompany Hugh Johnson on his travels. Beginning in the north, he explores the Arno valley from Florence to the sea; then moves south to Chianti, Siena and the Maremma. These Arcadian landscapes inspire a wonderfully warm and erudite commentary, encompassing not only the wines to be found along the way, but history, culture, food and manners. Illuminated by Andy Katz' luscious photographs,
Tuscany and Its Wines is a distillation of everything that, for many people, makes Tuscany a paradise on earth. --
Robin Davidson
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
edition.
Book Description
Among wine connoisseurs, Hugh Johnson is renowned as a writer of eloquent prose and a wine lover of erudition, discernment, and taste. Here he teams up with landscape and travel photographer Andy Katz, creating a glorious portrait of Tuscany: its history, culture, landscapes, towns, villages, people, and cuisine--and above all, its wines, vineyards, and winemakers.
Hugh Johnson's treatment of this many-faceted subject is perfectly crafted. His dazzling description of the wines of Tuscany is perfectly attuned to the 110 sparkling images accompanying the text. The book casts new light on much-visited places such as San Gimignano and the vine-clad hills of the Chianti region and reveals the secrets of tucked-away corners. A 2,000-word reference section at the back of the book includes a glossary, a growers' directory, and an A-Z overview of food specialties.
Tuscany and Its Wines is for everyone enthralled by the Tuscan marriage of light and landscape, wine and food, vines and olives, and beauty and history.
