When Adventures on the Wine Route was first published, Victor Hazan said, "In Kermit Lynch's small, true, delightful book there is more understanding about what wine really is than in everything else I have read." A quarter century later, this remarkable journey of wine, travel, and taste remains an essential volume for wine lovers. In 2007, Eric Asimov, in The New York Times, called it "one of the finest American books on wine," and in 2012, The Wall Street Journal pro-claimed that it "may be the best book on the wine business." In celebration of its twenty-fifth anniversary, Adventures on the Wine Route has been thoroughly redesigned and updated with an epilogue and a list of the great wine connoisseur's twenty-five most memorable bottles. In this singular tour along the French wine route, Lynch ventures forth to find the very essence of the wine world. In doing so, he never shies away from the attitudes, opinions, and beliefs that have made him one of our most respected and outspoken authorities on wine. Yet his guiding philosophy is exquisitely simple. As he writes in the introduction, "Wine is, above all, about pleasure. Those who make it ponderous make it dull . . . If you keep an open mind and take each wine on its own terms, there is a world of magic to discover." Adventures on the Wine Route is the ultimate quest for this magic via France's most distinguished vineyards and wine cellars. Lynch draws vivid portraits of vintners—from inebriated négociants to a man who oversees a vineyard that has been in his family for five hundred years—and memorably evokes the countryside at every turn. "The French," Lynch writes, "with their aristocratic heritage, their experience and tradition, approach wine from another point of view . . . and one cannot appreciate French wine with any depth of understanding without knowing how the French themselves look at their wines, by going to the source, descending into their cold, humid cellars, tasting with them, and listening to the language they employ to describe their wines." Here, Kermit Lynch assures a whole new generation of readers—as well as his loyal fans—that discussions about wine need not focus so stringently on "the pH, the oak, the body, the finish," but rather on the "gaiety" of the way "the tart fruit perfume[s] the palate and the brain."

The touching story of one couple's decision to start a vineyard in France, where they fear nothing more than the destruction of a sudden cold snapFrost can be fatal to a fledgling wine business. . . it's a gorgeous glitter with a high price tag. On a winter's day it is beautiful, but on a spring day after bud burst it spells devastation. For Sean and Caro Feely, a couple whose love affair with wine and France has taken them through financial and physical struggle to create their organic vineyard, it could spell the end. Until they receive an unexpected call that could save their skins. . . This book is about life, love, and taking risks, while transforming a piece of land into a flourishing vineyard and making a new life in France.

Cultured connoisseurs and novices alike will find useful and detailed profiles of hundreds of wines from every region, major vineyard, and appellation of France. Special features include a Glossary of wine terminology, an introductory section about viticulture and wine selection and storage, and a tour itinerary and food specialty for each wine-producing region.

The remarkable untold story of France’s courageous, clever vinters who protected and rescued the country’s most treasured commodity from German plunder during World War II. "To be a Frenchman means to fight for your country and its wine." –Claude Terrail, owner, Restaurant La Tour d’Argent In 1940, France fell to the Nazis and almost immediately the German army began a campaign of pillaging one of the assets the French hold most dear: their wine. Like others in the French Resistance, winemakers mobilized to oppose their occupiers, but the tale of their extraordinary efforts has remained largely unknown–until now. This is the thrilling and harrowing story of the French wine producers who undertook ingenious, daring measures to save their cherished crops and bottles as the Germans closed in on them. Wine and War illuminates a compelling, little-known chapter of history, and stands as a tribute to extraordinary individuals who waged a battle that, in a very real way, saved the spirit of France.

This is an untimidating guide to France's best and best-value wines, hot new winemakers, and up-and-coming wine regions. Each wine includes a star rating, price ranges, vintage information and producer contact details.

France is the home of many of the world's greatest wines—nowhere else will you find such a warm welcome awaiting you in the cellar. Illustrated with specially commissioned photographs (wine usually seems to be made in attractive surroundings) as well as maps, the books in this series describe the wine-producing regions of each country. The authors recommend itineraries, list wineries, describe the local cuisines, suggest wine bars and restaurants, and provide a mass of practical information—much of which is not readily available elsewhere. Each title includes: Itineraries and maps Local gastronomic specialties o Hundreds of visitor-friendly wineries Descriptions of local and regional wines Museums and sightseeing points Lists of wine festivals and exhibitions Restaurants, hotels and wine stores Reference section and glossary France is the home of many of the world's greatest wines—nowhere else will you find such a warm welcome awaiting you in the cellar. Every one of the country's wine regions produces a unique selection of wines, often made with grapes used nowhere else for winemaking. Christopher Fielden describes France's most important wine-producing areas, gives the background to the wines, and provides a guide to visiting the best producers. Hundreds of wineries that welcome visitors are listed, together with their addresses, telephone numbers, websites and opening times. Christopher Fielden is a cheerful and knowledgeable guide. The French wine regions and their vineyards are well drawn. There are clear guidelines for visiting wineries and tasting their wines. Is there a charge for tasting? Are you expected to spit? (Yes in Burgundy; no in Alsace.) This book provides answers to these and many other questions.