New York City Big Book Award's Best Travel Book of 2024
Exploring Wine Regions - California Central Coast is the third book in the award-winning series, now exploring lesser-known areas of California's wine regions. Beyond the familiar Napa and Sonoma, the Central Coast Wine Regions are producing top-level, high-quality wines, and the tourism is extraordinary. This book takes you on a journey to discover these amazing wines; combining wine education, insiders travel guide and spectacular photography. Higgins again dazzles his audience with another informative and beautiful book.
Tourism along the central coast of California is unmatched. The beaches, mountains and valleys are ever so enchanting. The wineries are engaging, have lots of tourism activities available, and are especially inviting and friendly, unlike other wine regions. It's not uncommon to find the vintner or winemaker at the tasting room wanting to share their stories and their love of wine with you. Both connoisseurs and novices turn to this book series for insider information and inspiration. It is a must-have book for expanding your knowledge of California and its wines.
With 436 full-color pages and over 800 photographic images, this third edition explores California's Central Coast regions of Monterey County, San Luis Obispo County (including Paso Robles) and Santa Barbara County. With breathtaking photography and personal commentary, readers are mesmerized by the world of wine, food and travel. Extensive resources are provided for wine lovers who want to know where to go, what to look for, and how to discover their favorite wines by understanding the terroir.
About the Series
Exploring Wine Regions is a unique book series that incorporates the beauty of a quality coffee table piece, an elaborate travel guide, an inspiring wine education, spectacular photography, and captivating adventures into the depths of travel, food and wine connoisseurship. It is the leading insiders guide to exploring the wine regions of the world... uncovering extraordinary winemakers, chefs and sommeliers. It includes detailed information to plan and travel to see the most interesting wineries, restaurants and resorts located in these beautiful wine regions. Agronomists, oenologists, vintners, chefs, sommeliers, and outdoor adventurers are interviewed in-depth to give you the inside track to Exploring Wine Regions of the world.
About the Author :
With a passion for wine and travel, author and photographer Michael C. Higgins delves deep into the central coast of California to uncover its extraordinary wines, spectacular cuisine and amazing tourism.
Higgins has more than twenty years participating in some of the most extraordinary experiences: from pruning vines, picking grapes, working alongside winemakers, to participating in blind tastings, food and wine pairings, judging Cru Bourgeois wines, and sharing many meals with world-renowned winemakers, over countless hours, discussing everything wine. His time in wine regions adds up to thousands of days and counting. And as an accomplished photographer, he has captured even more spectacular images of the wine world. Higgins has participated in many unique wine experiences, indulged in the most exclusive culinary affairs, been pampered in highly luxurious destinations and jumped into the wildest of adventures. His goal is to inspire his readers to join him in exploring the wine regions of the world and experiencing the unimaginable. Higgins has a BA in Commercial Art, an MBA and a PhD in Business Administration. He is a California native and lives in Pasadena, California.
Review :
"Michael Higgins' writing is informative, lively, discriminating and full of recommendations beyond just wine tasting. His photography is drop-dead gorgeous. Reviewed are more than 100 wineries and 60 restaurants spread across Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. This book (and e-book) are now thereference point for anyone planning a winery excursion through California's Central Coast."
- James Moroney III, Publisher, Emeritus, The Dallas Morning News
"As with his other chronicles, Michael Higgins has done excellent work highlighting what is compelling about the Central Coast Wine Regions. His enthusiasm is infectious."
- Ian Brand, Vintner/Winemaker, Ian Brand Winery
"Michael nails it with his latest photographic essay of the Central Coast wine district. I will be recommending it to all my members as the quintessential tome for travel to the wine country. Congrats!"
- Paul Kalemkarian, President, Original Wine of the Month Club
"Michael Higgins' Exploring Wine Regions books are full of enticing photography and a delightful mix of grapegrowing science, winemaker profiles, and loads of fun things to do. Plenty of information to satisfy the novice as well as the expert."
- Neal Vitale, President, Wine & Food Society of Hollywood
"I have enjoyed the Exploring Wine Regions series of books by Michael Higgins and always look forward to the next! They have become my personal and professional gifts for all occasions! Michael has been able to capture my dreams of the life I imagined in a written journey. They are true love letters to the world of fine wine and amazing travel!! And, the fabulous photos make everyone's life brighter one sip at a time! Incredibly Special!"
- Michele Bright, DDS, Pilot
"All of the personalities, history and science is so interesting. It's hard for me to imagine all the time and effort and expertise that went into this book!! I have so much more to read, but I already foresee many awards and accolades. Very impressive. Can't wait to gift some copies."
- Jim Ullery, Fan
"Excellent author. Michael is a highly professional person with good judgment and is dedicated to his work. Anyone can tell that he enjoys what he does as it is reflected in his beautiful photographs and descriptions of the places he travels."
- Agustin Perzabel, Perzabel Vineyard & Winery Tours
"I love it, love it, love it! Already used it to make some recommendations to friends about central coast wineries about which I want very familiar. "
- Jim Moroney, Proprietor, Sixmilebridge Vineyards
