Passion For Pinot: A Journey Through America's Pinot Noir Country

Passion for Pinot: A Journey Through America's Pinot Noir Country

The explosive ascent of Pinot Noir from relative obscurity to it-grape status is unprecedented. Silky, complex, and incredibly versatile, Pinot Noir is the perfect food wine; full of charm and intrigue, it drinks beautifully on its own.California and Oregon are home to Pinot's greatest expressions in the New World. In Passion for Pinot, award-winning photographers Robert Holmes and Andrea Johnson and wine writer Jordan Mackay capture the grape's allure through portraits and profiles of the top Pinot producers and terroirs on the West Coast.Mackay's engaging narrative chronicles the different stylistic approaches to growing and vinifying Pinot and tells the story of the dedicated winemakers responsible for elevating the grape to its exalted status. The evocative photography of Holmes and Johnson showcases the many landscapes, seasons, and faces of Pinot Noir in America. Throughout the book, quotes, facts, and maps help make Passion for Pinot an illuminating and entertaining guide to a singularly beguiling grape.Review"If any grape would be at home in the pose of the femme fatale-smoke curling from its lips, long, irresistible legs crossed as another winemaker is sent to his doom-it would be Pinot Noir." -Eric Asimov, from the ForewordFrom the Publisher* A portrait of the most fashionable grape in the wine world, pairing vivid narrative and stunning photography to showcase top Pinot producers in California and Oregon.* The only fully illustrated book on American Pinot Noir.* The explosive ascent of Pinot Noir from relative obscurity to it-grape status is unprecedented. According to AC Nielson, Pinot sales have increased 120 percent in the last two years.* Features a foreword by Eric Asimov.About the AuthorRobert Holmes is a renowned photographer and author who has illustrated more than forty books. His work appeared regularly in the acclaimed Day in the Life series as one of the world's 100 best photojournalists, and he has worked for many of the world's major magazines, such as National Geographic, Life, Time, Travel and Leisure, the London Sunday Times and Paris Match. His work has won many awards from Communication Arts and Lowell Thomas, and he was the first person to twice be named Travel Photographer of the Year by the Society of American Travel Writers.Andrea Johnson is a freelance photographer specializing in wine and travel. She has covered many of the world's wine regions, and her photographs are regularly featured in publications such as Wine Spectator, VIA, Sunset, the San Francisco Chronicle and National Geographic. Her previous books include photography for Rick Steves' Europe through the Back Door series, and her commercial clients are many of the premiere Pinot Noir producers worldwide.Jordan Mackay has devoted the last eight years to exploring, understanding and writing about wine. After writing for Texas Monthly and serving as a wine columnist for the Austin American-Statesman, he became wine and spirits editor for San Francisco's 7x7 magazine and a contributing writer to Wine and Spirits. He has also written about food and wine for Food & Wine, Gourmet, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.Excerpt.