Adventures with Old Vines
A Beginner's Guide to Being a Wine Connoisseur
By (author) Richard L. Chilton Jr.
Publication date:
01 January 2018Length of book:
296 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781538106136
The book also includes a richly illustrated, full-color reference section on a select group of vineyards from all over the world, describing their history, winemaking philosophy, terroir, and top vintages—what Chilton calls benchmark wines. The characteristics of these memorable wines provide the essential starting point to understand what to look for when evaluating any wine. Equipped with this easy-to-read reference, readers will have all the tools they need to begin their own wine journey.
Chilton, owner of a Napa Valley winery, captures his extensive subject-matter wisdom in this loosely structured collection of how-tos on purchasing, storing, tasting, collecting, manufacturing, and reading a list of wines, among other topics. Chilton’s advice is wide-ranging and . . . hits the mark. Some examples: avoid low humidity and lights when building a wine cellar. Opt for cork closures, not screw caps or plastic resins. Be aware of possible wine fraud (citing the 2012 case of Rudy Kurniawan, famously convicted of the crime). The second half of his discourse is dedicated to several-dozen select vineyard profiles, featuring at-a-glance snapshots (including details like location, people involved, key wines, grape varieties, etc.), vineyard history, and top vintages. Expect high reader recognition for many labels, like Lafitte Rothschild, Dom Pérignon, Penfolds, Stag’s Leap, and others.