Sam Champion is a military man through and through. A pilot in the United States Coast Guard, his dedication and skills serve to save lives. However, his wife is not thrilled about the perils of his chosen career. With another child on the way, she convinces him to hang up his uniform in exchange for a safer occupation. They move to the northwest coast – to her namesake family vineyard situated in the hills of California’s Humboldt County. Although growing grapes in Sherry’s Vineyard is an alien concept to Sam, her father becomes his mainstay in learning everything about the wine industry. However, his mentoring comes to an abrupt halt when tragedy strikes. Lack of evidence that supports their suspicion linking a local marijuana kingpin to the shooting of her father weighs heavily on them. As they struggle to accept her father’s loss, the vineyard itself becomes a pawn in a game that may well end badly.

"Between Vineyards and Traditions: Discovering the Wines of Spain" is a work that invites readers to embark on a sensory journey through Spain's diverse and rich oenological palette. This book is not just a guide to Spanish wines; it is a tribute to the deep connection between land, tradition and innovation that defines viticulture in this country. Through its pages, readers will explore the most iconic wine regions, from the rolling hills of Rioja to the rugged terraces of Priorat, discovering the secrets behind each bottle. With a focus on the experience of wine as a cultural and sensory expression, this book unfolds a mosaic of stories, ancestral techniques, and the latest innovations that make Spanish wines some of the most prized worldwide. "A Sensory Journey through Spain's Enological Wealth" not only offers insights into wine selection and tasting, but also immerses the reader in the art of wine pairing, wine festivals, and the growing trend of wine tourism, showing how wine is intertwined with Spain's gastronomy, culture, and economy.

Professor William Lonsdale and climatologist Neil Garret are hot on the trail of a mystery surrounding a monk’s predictions from the year 1010. Old documents, recently discovered at Fleury Abbey in France, point to a potential disaster beginning in 2020. In the meantime, world-wide seismology sensors are picking up unusual tremors in the Arctic’s Pechengsky District. The Russians are telling everyone the quakes are the result of mining operations. However, a young woman in pursuit of her doctorate degree in earth sciences isn’t satisfied with their answer. She meets and seeks help from Neil Garrett and his partner. It isn’t long before they discover that events in the Russian Arctic and the prognostications of the monk are closely linked. Ultimately, five unlikely acquaintances team up and bring their unique understanding of science, history, and religion to combat the forces of nature. Will their efforts prove too late to stop the foretold beginning of the end?

Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo were pioneers in the Texas wine industry. They founded Messina Hof which reflected their union of love as well as the origins of their heritages from Messina, Sicily and Hof, Germany. This book shares their amazing Texas wine journey, reveals their marketing strategies and the elements that have made Messina Hof so successful. It provides insights into their business development and how they were successful in keeping their love story so vibrant. This is the perfect book for those in a family business. There are many lessons learned and shared. This book is inspirational and it traces a history of Texas from its inception as a Pet Rock Industry to its modern day world class status.

Acclaimed importer and wine guru Terry Theise, long known for his top-notch portfolio and his illustrious writing, now offers this opinionated, idiosyncratic, and beautifully written testament to wine. What constitutes beauty in wine, and how do we appreciate it? What role does wine play in a soulful, sensual life? Can wines of place survive in a world of globalized styles and 100-point scoring systems? In his highly approachable style, Theise describes how wine can be a portal to aesthetic, emotional, even mystical experience—and he frankly asserts that these experiences are most likely to be inspired by wines from artisan producers.

Making the dream a reality… For many people, owning and running a winery is a dream job. According to Wine Business Monthly, the number of wineries in the U.S. has jumped 26% in less than three years. To carry out this dream, one must understand that wine making involves both science and art. Starting a winery is just like starting any other business and requires planning and a deep understanding of the industry. In The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Starting and Running a Winery, readers will learn: •How to put together a business plan •Different varieties of grapes and wines •How to lay out a floor plan and what equipment is needed •How to promote wines

"There is only one reason that the American wine enthusiast is now completely enamored with German and Austrian wines: Terry Theise! This glorious book not only brilliantly showcases one man's love affair with all the beauties that can flow from the bottle, it definitively makes the case for the wines that are the most superbly suited to be served with food."--Chef Charlie Trotter "Terry Theise's humane, subtle and engaging book illustrates the superiority of wisdom to mere knowledge. Read and be richer."--Andrew Jefford, columnist for "Decanter" and "The World of Fine Wine" "Impassioned, insistent, and inimitable, Terry Theise is America's foremost wine philosopher. Lots of writers can explain the "what" of wine. Terry, uniquely, inspires us with the 'why'. I devoured "Reading Between the Wines"; it's the single best book I've ever read on why wine matters."--Karen MacNeil, author of "The Wine Bible" "If you think you know something about wine, try Terry Theise's "Reading Between the Wines" because until you do, you haven't really started."--Tom Stevenson, author of "Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia"

Free text poem - Man may attempt to travel and conquer the galaxy, but we only have one Earth. Our home is roughly four and half billion years old. Will it be sustained for another four and a half billion years?

A tour of the French winemaking regions to illustrate how the soil, underlying bedrock, relief, and microclimate shape the personality of a wine. For centuries, France has long been the world’s greatest wine-producing country. Its wines are the global gold standard, prized by collectors, and its winemaking regions each offer unique tasting experiences, from the spice of Bordeaux to the berry notes of the Loire Valley. Although grape variety, climate, and the skill of the winemaker are essential in making good wine, the foundation of a wine’s character is the soil in which its grapes are grown. Who could better guide us through the relationship between the French land and the wine than a geologist, someone who deeply understands the science behind the soil? Enter scientist Charles Frankel. In Land and Wine, Frankel takes readers on a tour of the French winemaking regions to illustrate how the soil, underlying bedrock, relief, and microclimate shape the personality of a wine. The book’s twelve chapters each focus in-depth on a different region, including the Loire Valley, Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, Provence, the Rhône valley, and Bordeaux, to explore the full meaning of terroir. In this approachable guide, Frankel describes how Cabernet Franc takes on a completely different character depending on whether it is grown on gravel or limestone; how Sauvignon yields three different products in the hills of Sancerre when rooted in limestone, marl, or flint; how Pinot Noir will give radically different wines on a single hill in Burgundy as the vines progress upslope; and how the soil of each château in Bordeaux has a say in the blend ratios of Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon. Land and Wine provides a detailed understanding of the variety of French wine as well as a look at the geological history of France, complete with volcanic eruptions, a parade of dinosaurs, and a menagerie of evolution that has left its fossils flavoring the vineyards. Both the uninitiated wine drinker and the confirmed oenophile will find much to savor in this fun guide that Frankel has spiked with anecdotes about winemakers and historic wine enthusiasts—revealing which kings, poets, and philosophers liked which wines best—while offering travel tips and itineraries for visiting the wineries today.