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University of California Press

About the Book

A New York Times and Food & Wine Best Wine Book of 2019

Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs is the definitive reference book on the myriad crus and the grand cru wine production areas of Italy’s native wine grapes. Ian D’Agata’s approach to discussing wine, both scientific and discursive, provides an easy-to-read, enjoyable guide to Italy’s best terroirs. Descriptions are enriched with geologic data, biotype and clonal information, producer anecdotes and interviews, and facts and figures compiled over fifteen years of research devoted to wine terroirs. In-depth analysis is provided for the terroirs that produce both the well-known wines (Barolo, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino) and those not as well-known (Grignolino d’Asti, Friuli Colli Orientali Picolit, Ischia). Everyday wine lovers, beginners, and professionals alike will find this new book to be the perfect complement to D’Agata’s previous award-winning Native Wine Grapes of Italy.

About the Author

Ian D’Agata (www.iandagata.com) is an award-winning author who has been writing about wine for almost thirty years. Senior Editor of Vinous and Creative Director of Collisioni’s Wine & Food project (Italy’s largest music, literature, wine, and food festival), he is also Director of the Indigena festival (devoted to Italy’s native grapes and wines) and Director of 3iC (an international wine and food study center in Barolo). In 2018, he was nominated to the prestigious Accademia della Vite e del Vino, Italy’s official association of viticulture and enology researchers, university professors, and educators.


 

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Part 1 Understanding Terroir and Its Context in Italy
A Brief History of Terroir in Italy
Italy’s Wine Terroir: An Overview
A Study in Terroir
The Italian Job

Part 2 The Grape Varieties and Their Specific Terroirs

Appendix
Glossary
Bibliography
General Index
Index of Grape Varieties
Index of Terroirs

Reviews

“Ian D’Agata’s 2014 work Native Wine Grapes of Italy has been an essential book in my wine library. His new book, Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs, is an excellent companion, an in-depth examination of the specific places in which Italy’s leading grapes and some lesser-known varieties grow best, and the characteristics imparted to the wines.? ?Among English-language wine writers focusing on Italy, Mr. D’Agata’s scholarship is unsurpassed. He may sometimes probe more deeply than lay drinkers will want to go, but it’s not hard to dip in and out. For those who want the complete picture on Italy and its terroirs, this is the book for you.”

The New York Times
"For the Italian wine obsessive, there could be no better gift this season than Ian D’Agata’s extraordinarily comprehensive look into Italy’s wine grape varieties, where they grow, and how they express the character of that place. He is as thorough with noble varieties like Nebbiolo, the signature grape of Barolo and Barbaresco, as he is with obscurities such as Mayolet and Dorona, delving into history, specific terroirs, subzones, and top producers."
Food & Wine
"Part walking Wikipedia, part philosopher, Ian D'Agata supplies a wealth of information on Italian wine—both fact and lore—and his latest book is a must-have and a compelling read for all lovers of Italy, Italian culture, and Italian wine. Ian's unique voice and unparalleled access to Italy's most famous, most infamous, and those not-yet-discovered winemakers and vignerons tells a fascinating story of Italy's history through the lens of agriculture and winemaking."––Laura DePasquale, Master Sommelier

"D’Agata’s prose is as noteworthy as its scholarly content. Anyone interested in delving deeply into Italian wine needs a copy of this book"—Michael Apstein, James Beard Award–winning wine writer and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

"I get asked all the time, which wine writers do I most admire? Ian D'Agata is always at the top of my list. He is that rarest of creatures, a once-in-a-generation great wine writer, and a benchmark for writing beautifully, engagingly, and with compelling insight. Really, nobody today does it better."––Matt Kramer, author of True Taste: The Seven Essential Wine Words