About the Book
Gourmand Award for the No. 1 Best Wine Book in the World for Professionals
Since the publication of Wine Production: Vine to Bottle (2005) and Wine Quality: Tasting and Selection (2009), there has been a great deal of change in the wine industry, and the perceptions of critics and expectations of consumers have shifted. Wine Production and Quality, Second Edition brings together its two predecessors in one updated and considerably expanded volume.
This comprehensive guide explores the techniques of wine production in the vineyard and winery, and considers their impact upon the taste, style and quality of wine in the bottle. Part 1 of the book provides a structured yet easily readable understanding of wine production, from vine to bottle. The impact of natural factors, including climate and soil, is considered, together with the decisions made and work undertaken in the vineyard and winery. Part 2 looks at quality in wines: the concepts and techniques of tasting are detailed, along with the challenges in recognising and assessing quality. Also discussed are the steps producers may take, and the limitations they may face, in creating quality wines.
The book will prove valuable to beverage industry professionals, wine trade students, wine merchants, sommeliers, restaurateurs, and wine lovers as well as those entering (or thinking of entering) the highly competitive world of wine production.
About the Author :
Keith Grainger is a wine tutor and presenter. He was one of the founder members of the Association of Wine Educators. He is author of Grapewine - the first structured distance learning wine course. His previous books for Wiley are 'Wine Production - Vine to Bottle' and 'Wine Quality - Tasting and Selection, which won the Gourmand Award for Best Wine Education Book in the World.
Hazel Tattersall runs wine courses, day schools and tutored tastings for professional and consumer groups. With a background in food and beverage education, and as an accredited WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) tutor, she offers tailor-made training for hotel and restaurant staff at all levels.
Review :
The 22nd International Gourmand Awards were held at Yantai, in China's Shandong province on 27th and 28th May. Wine, drinks, food and cook books from some 211 counties were entered in the competition. The award for No. 1 Best Wine Book in the World for Professionals was given to Circle and AWE members Keith Grainger and Hazel Tattersall for 'Wine Production and Quality'.
The book is a comprehensive guide which explores the techniques of wine production in the vineyard and winery, and considers their impact upon the taste, style and quality of wine in the bottle. At the awards ceremony Edouard Cointreau, president of the awards jury, described the book as, "the one that I will buy for friends and colleagues." Keith Grainger comments, "It's great that the book has been universally so well received, and this award really is a fantastic reward for all the work that went into it." Hazel Tattersall says, "Although written primarily for professionals, I am pleased that wine loving consumers are regularly telling me that the book is incredibly readable. I am so happy that this has been recognised by the Gourmand jury." International Gourmand Awards- May 17
"Wine Production and Quality brings together previous books that Keith and Hazel had each written separately. Now expanded and revised, it is a modern addition given that the world of wine continues to change rapidly.
It also fills a gap in the literature. While there are many books on wine, the connections between winemaking and its resultant quality, price and profit are not always explicit. In so doing, this book is essential reading for anyone undertaking the WSET Diploma wine trade qualification, which is the gold standard for industry professionals worldwide. However, it's appeal is far broader than an industry textbook. It's a fascinating read for anyone curious about the wine in their glass. It covers the art, science and business of wine...The writing is clear and concise. Technical jargon is minimal, and there are lots of anecdotes and examples. Hence you can read it as the journey from vineyard to glass, or dip into it for reference and reminder....These days, wine tourism is big business. If you've ever visited a winery, then this book explains what winegrowers do, and why each one does it their way. Moreover, it highlights all the factors and decisions which make every winery unique. You'll get a lot more from a winery visit if you read this book first.....The book divides into easily manageable sections. Part 1 is about wine production. It begins with nature; vines, climate and the soil. Then it covers the impact of terroir and the work undertaken during the vineyard year. You'll meet different grape varieties, vineyard techniques, pests and diseases and how all these interrelate. From the harvest, it moves on to how the winery processes the grapes into wine. It explains Red, white, rosé and sparkling wine making, then maturation and bottling. It also has some of the main variations used in these processes that create different styles. There's a real insight into what happens when things go wrong and need intervention.
Part 2 discusses how both tasting and analysis evaluates wine quality. Even in these days of hi-tech, tasting is essential. Hence the book uses the WSET Diploma tasting technique to explain how to do it and what it reveals. I believe I can teach you the basics of this tasting technique in an hour, but you'll spend the rest of your life practising!You'll see how technically excellent wine can still be dull. It describes how wine faults occur and their remedies. You'll see how some "flaws" if present in small amounts can add interest and identity. While the best wine communicates a sense of place, that is not always its role. At every stage, producers need to take decisions. Their operating context and the winemakers' values will constrain what is practicable. The book makes weather, chemistry, tradition, regulation, finance and customer influences easily understandable. Obviously, different sections of the book may have particular appeal depending on personal preference. For example, I am at my happiest in the vineyard because without ripe, healthy grapes the winery faces an uphill struggle. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, though it is amazing what wineries can achieve with manipulation, though at extra cost. As a frequent winery visitor, I sometimes feel that if I've seen enough wine presses and bottling lines for one lifetime. This book reminds me that such machinery is not only hugely expensive, but they are also the wineries visible and proud badges of quality. I promise to be more forgiving in future! So in conclusion, this book is scholarly without being dull, it's fascinating without getting over-technical. It shows that wine quality is really about making a product that has "fitness for function" in its target market. And it never forgets that winegrowing is a business and needs to make a profit to be successful. Making wine is, in essence, a simple activity. However, making quality wines that people will pay for, want to drink and then buy again is anything but....As such this book comes highly recommended, a masterclass in communicating the diversity of wine" (Wine Alchemy- Jan 17)
"Apart from being an author, Grainger is one of the founding members of the Association of Wine Educators, a wine consultant, presenter and tutor. Hazel Tattersall has a background in food and beverage education and takes both trade and consumer wine classes. The book has been divided into two parts: wine production and wine quality. The first seven chapters are on all things viticultural, including soil, climate, the vine, the vineyard, pests and diseases, vineyard management and harvest. The next eight chapters move from winery design through to winemaking (red and white), maturation, bottling and then a couple of chapters on other types of wine, eg rosé, sweet, fortified and sparkling.
Part 2 starts with wine tasting and proceeds very much along the WSET model of the four-part approach (appearance, nose, palate, conclusions). Each of these steps is discussed in great detail. The language and structure espoused for each also echoes the WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting. After a chapter on tasting conclusions, the authors move on to wine faults and quality assurance (organisations and legislation). They then tackle the less tangible topic of terroir, followed by constraints on and factors affecting quality. The final chapter looks at the wine market, with a UK focus. A lot of information has been assembled in a generally logical and orderly fashion. It's a textbook, first and foremost, designed for students studying wine as they prepare for exams rather than for wine lovers. And for its purpose, it's very good. The language is clear, it is dry but concise, and there are very good quality colour photographs to illustrate some of the chapters. What it lacks (significantly, for me as a visual learner) is graphic illustrations of things such as winemaking processes, pruning and training, grafting, etc. For some students this can be the difference between 'getting it' or not, and thereby pass or fail. Tables, charts, graphs and technical diagrams bring flat text to life and give the learner pegs to hang knowledge on.........MW students could use this as a basic viti/vini refresher, but would need to use other materials for their more in-depth studies" (Jancis Robinson Jan 17)
