The Makers of American Wine - by Thomas Pinney (Hardcover)

About the Book

Praise for Thomas Pinney's "A History of Wine in America"
"Exhaustively researched. . ..invaluable to serious scholars of the grape. Fascinating reading." --"San Francisco Chronicle"
"Revealing a sharp eye for detail and a dry, low-key wit, Pinney writes in an engaging style and with remarkable clarity." --"Wine Spectator"
"Definitive. . ..an important work of historical literature." --"Wine & Spirits"
"An indispensable view of. . .a remarkable time." --"Decanter"

Book Synopsis

Americans learned how to make wine successfully about two hundred years ago, after failing for more than two hundred years. Thomas Pinney takes an engaging approach to the history of American wine by telling its story through the lives of 13 people who played significant roles in building an industry that now extends to every state. While some names-such as Mondavi and Gallo-will be familiar, others are less well known. These include the wealthy Nicholas Longworth, who produced the first popular American wine; the German immigrant George Husmann, who championed the native Norton grape in Missouri and supplied rootstock to save French vineyards from phylloxera; Frank Schoonmaker, who championed the varietal concept over wines with misleading names; and Maynard Amerine, who helped make UC Davis a world-class winemaking school.

From the Back Cover

Praise for Thomas Pinney's A History of Wine in America

"Exhaustively researched....invaluable to serious scholars of the grape. Fascinating reading." --San Francisco Chronicle

"Revealing a sharp eye for detail and a dry, low-key wit, Pinney writes in an engaging style and with remarkable clarity." --Wine Spectator

"Definitive....an important work of historical literature." --Wine & Spirits

"An indispensable view of...a remarkable time." --Decanter

Review Quotes

"An informative and enjoyable read."-- "Santé" (6/1/2012 12:00:00 AM)

"Highly recomended."--Hudson Cattell "Wines and Vines" (11/1/2012 12:00:00 AM)

"This book is a major contribution to our understanding of wine history."--Conal Gregory "The Scotsman" (12/15/2012 12:00:00 AM)

"[Makers of American Wine] is a must-read for anyone seriously interested in wine. . . . Well written and easy to read."--George Erdosh "Portland Book Review (2 Copies)" (8/6/2012 12:00:00 AM)

"[Pinney] has succeeded in providing an engaging and well-written account of the very human history of wine in America."--Robert C. Fuller Bradley University "Jrnl Of American History" (1/2/2013 12:00:00 AM)

"Pinney is a master researcher deeply immersed in the minutiae of the primary-source record, and his prose is lively but, more important, clear-eyed. He has written a book that tracks the tastes of the nation through the people who chased and changed them."-- "Wine Spectator" (1/15/2013 12:00:00 AM)

"Thomas Pinney's engaging style, coupled with his meticulous research, make this a volume to savor and enjoy."--Bob Walch "Salinas Californian" (12/1/2012 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Thomas Pinney is Professor of English, Emeritus, at Pomona College. He is the author or editor of several books including the two-volume A History of Wine in America (UC Press). The second volume of this definitive wine history won the 2006 International Association of Culinary Professionals Award for best book on wine, beer, or spirits.