American Vintage: From Isolation to International Renown -- The Rise of American Wine
In a volume that is clear, persuasive and lively, Lukacs charts the history of American viticulture from a brief, promising beginning through the moribund dark ages that lasted for decades after Prohibition, to its rapid upswing in the latter part of the 20th century. Lukacs, the wine columnist for the Washington Times, tells how early wine pioneers had problems producing a quality vintage, as American grape varieties produced wine that was too "foxy" and imported ones scarcely produced any wine at all before falling victim to native diseases. Just as promising work was underway, Prohibition quashed it; afterward, wine gave way to the mass-produced, skid-row fortifieds that dominated the market until the 1960s. Though it took people with an almost artistic vision to reconsider making high-quality American wine, Lukacs explains that it was the intrinsic American faith in science that allowed these dreams to become reality. Today premium, distinct American wines come even from Texas, as "perhaps the most important legacy of the rise of American wine has been the realization that inherent quality rather than reputation defines a classic." Lukacs has a real feel for story, which makes his history exceptionally entertaining. Woven in among facts about American wine species and details about production methods are portraits of important figuresAlike Robert Mondavi and enologist professor Maynard Amerine, whose research into wine's biochemical composition profoundly influenced the way wine was made in California. This combination of erudition and narrative savvy should make Lukacs's work popular even among wine lovers who are not usually readers of history. 8-page photo insert not seen by PW. Author tour. (Nov.)Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.