American Winescapes : The Cultural Landscapes Of America's Wine Country

Winescapes are unique agricultural landscapes that are shaped by the presence of vineyards, wine-making activities, and the wineries where wines are produced and stored. Where viticulture is successful it transforms the local landscape into a combination of agriculture, industry, and tourism. This book demystifies viticulture in a way that helps the reader understand the environmental and economic conditions necessary in the art and practice of wine making.Distinctive characteristics of the book include a detailed discussion of more than thirty grape cultivars, an overview of wine regions around the country, and a survey of wine publications and festivals. Gary Peters discusses the major environmental conditions affecting viticulture, especially weather and climate, and outlines the special problems the industry faces from lack of capital, competition, and changing public tastes. Contents......Page 6 List of IIIustrations......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction: A Geographer's Appreciation of America's Wine Country......Page 12 1 Grapevines......Page 20 Vitis Vinifera: Its Origin and Diffusion......Page 22 Native American Grapevines......Page 29 2 Major Cultivars in American Vineyards Today......Page 34 Important Vitis Vinifera Cultivars......Page 35 Important Non-Vinifera Cultivars......Page 66 Summary......Page 72 3 American Environments for Wine Grapes......Page 74 Weather and Climate......Page 77 Soil......Page 85 Environmental Hazards......Page 88 Managing Environmental Problems......Page 91 Summary......Page 93 4 American Wine Making Comes of Age......Page 94 Grapes Become Wine......Page 96 Modern Changes in Wine Making......Page 110 Locations of American Wineries......Page 112 The American Wine Industry's Changing Structure......Page 113 5 Wine Regions and Wine Labels......Page 116 American Wine Regions......Page 117 Wine Labels: Geography and a Lot More......Page 121 6 American Viticultural Landscapes......Page 134 Geography and Agricultural Landscapes......Page 135 Reading Agricultural Landscapes......Page 136 Viticultural Landscapes......Page 141 A Comparison of Two Winescapes......Page 155 7 Seasons, Ceremonies, and Wine-Judging Events......Page 164 The Annual Cycle in a Modern American Vineyard......Page 165 Local Festivals, Ceremonies, and Celebrations......Page 169 Fairs and Other Wine-Judging Events......Page 173 8 The Viticultural Area as a Working Landscape......Page 176 The Residents of Wine Country......Page 178 Wine Regions and Their Towns......Page 180 9 Communicating About Grapes and Wines......Page 188 Wine in Print: From Academic Journals to Consumer Magazines......Page 190 Wine on the World Wide Web......Page 200 10 America's Viticultural Future......Page 202 Cultural Trends and American Wine Consumption......Page 203 Viticultural Problems......Page 220 Imports and Exports......Page 222 References......Page 224 About the Book and Author......Page 233 B......Page 234 D......Page 235 H......Page 236 N......Page 237 S......Page 238 V......Page 239 W......Page 240 Z......Page 241 Cover -- Half Title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction: A Geographer's Appreciation of America's Wine Country -- 1 Grapevines -- Vitis Vinifera: Its Origin and Diffusion -- Native American Grapevines -- 2 Major Cultivars in American Vineyards Today -- Important Vitis Vinifera Cultivars -- Important Non-Vinifera Cultivars -- Summary -- 3 American Environments for Wine Grapes -- Weather and Climate -- Soil -- Environmental Hazards -- Managing Environmental Problems -- Summary -- 4 American Wine Making Comes of Age -- Grapes Become Wine -- Modern Changes in Wine Making -- Locations of American Wineries -- The American Wine Industry's Changing Structure -- 5 Wine Regions and Wine Labels -- American Wine Regions -- Wine Labels: Geography and a Lot More -- 6 American Viticultural Landscapes -- Geography and Agricultural Landscapes -- Reading Agricultural Landscapes -- Viticultural Landscapes -- A Comparison of Two Winescapes -- 7 Seasons, Ceremonies, and Wine-Judging Events -- The Annual Cycle in a Modern American Vineyard -- Local Festivals, Ceremonies, and Celebrations -- Fairs and Other Wine-Judging Events -- 8 The Viticultural Area as a Working Landscape -- Living and Working Among the Vines -- The Residents of Wine Country -- Wine Regions and Their Towns -- 9 Communicating About Grapes and Wines -- Wine in Print: From Academic Journals to Consumer Magazines -- Wine on the World Wide Web -- 10 America's Viticultural Future -- Cultural Trends and American Wine Consumption -- Viticultural Problems -- Imports and Exports -- References -- About the Book and Author -- Index Winescapes are unique agricultural landscapes that are shaped by the presence of vineyards, winemaking activities, and the wineries where wines are produced and stored. Where viticulture is successful it transforms the local landscape into a combination of agriculture, industry, and tourism. This book demystifies viticulture in a way that helps the reader understand the environmental and economic conditions necessary in the art and practice of wine making. Distinctive characteristics of the book include a detailed discussion of more than thirty grape cultivars, an overview of wine regions around the country, and a survey of wine publications and festivals. Peters discusses the major environmental conditions affecting viticulture, especially weather and climate, and outlines the special problems the industry faces from lack of capital, competition, and changing public tastes. Gary L. Peters. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 213-221) And Index.