Italian Wine: The History, Regions, and Grapes of an Iconic Wine Country

(Hardback)

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An introduction to the wines of Italy by region and grape, telling the story of how the history of the country shaped Italian wines and how modern winemakers are looking to the past to revive the industry. From award-winning sommelier Shelley Lindgren, who has long been recognized (and now knighted!) for her promotion of lesser-known Italian wines, and acclaimed cookbook author Kate Leahy comes a user-friendly and beautiful guide to Italian wines two decades in the making. The dynamic storytelling duo takes you through a beautifully photographed and delightfully comprehensive journey to understand what Italian wine looks like today- the makers shaping the industry, the innovative ways farmers are adapting to climate change, and the history that paved the path for this current movement. Travel vicariously through all twenty regions with Leahy and Lindgren and expand your palate beyond Chianti, Pinot Grigio, and Lambrusco. Immerse yourself in the untold stories of how ancient winemaking techniques, the shifts of power and the movement of families, and the terrain and climate have influenced modern Italian winemaking. The curiosity and passion Lindgren and Leahy have is infectious and inviting, and you'll leave with a buzz and a richer understanding of the country's wines. Let Italian Wine be your in-depth and fun guide into this endlessly fascinating, diverse world of wine.

Reviews

Abrilliant lookinto the past, present, and future of wine and food in Italy. The book portrays thedeep culture of Italian tradition!Rajat Parr, owner-operator of Phelan Farm and author of Secrets of the Sommeliers and The Sommeliers Atlas of Taste

Apioneering sommelierand restaurant owner, Shelley Lindgren has, for decades, beenat the forefront of Italys evolving wine culture and an early champion of producers that have now become canon. Together with Kate Leahy, she has managed to distill deep knowledge of and clear passion for Italy intoan indispensable, and approachable, guideto the producers, places, and culture that make Italys wines among the worlds greatest.Talia Baiocchi, editor in chief, Punch

With Italian Wine, Lindgren and Leahy have managed the impossibleto celebrate and explain Italys rich and storied viticultural history while introducing us to those shaping its wines today. Thisvisually stunning and extremely user-friendly book brings each region alive, honoring geography, winemakers, and culinary traditions from the North to the South, guiding us on a journey and informing us all the while. This book will sit on my counter at the ready for those times I want toescape to Italy, brush up on knowledge, or simply find inspiration for dinner.Jordan Salcito, award-winning sommelier, author, and founder of Drink RAMONA Organic Italian Spritzes

Shelley Lindgren is positively, absolutely at the apex of America's impassioned lovers of Italian wine. She has put in the time (decades), the kilometers in Italy (thousands), and has served for years some of the greatest glasses of Italian wines with stupendously good food at her restaurant. As an admiring Italian winegrower once said to me, She knows all, my dear. Its no surprise that Italian Wine is a rarity: a book about the most complicated, yet exhilarating, wine country in the world thatconveys all of its excitementbut blows away all the fuss and bother. Really, you cant ask for more or better than that.Matt Kramer, author of True Taste: The Seven Essential Wine Words

For decades, Shelley has been a leading voice in the Italian wine revolution and an early advocate for indigenous varietals of Southern Italy. Her love for Italian wine has been a prophecy realized. Italian Wine, which breaks the vast landscape into regions and varietals, is amust-read for Italian wine veterans and newbies alike. Shelley and Kate present Italy in a straightforward and easy-to-read fashion. Shelleysvast knowledge of Italian wine and immense passion come through on every page.Joe Bastianich, wine maker and restaurateur

Author Bio

Shelley Lindgren is the wine director and owner of San Francisco's beloved Italian restaurant A16. She has received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Program and has been knighted by the Italian government, receiving the prestigious "Cavaliere dell'Ordine Della Stella Italia" (Dott.ssa) distinction for her professional dedication to Italian wine. Shelley's work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Punch, San Francisco Chronicle, and many other publications. She served on the board of La Cocina, the Guild of Sommeliers, and Slide Ranch and is a member of Les Dames d' Escoffier. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, two sons, and a border collie. Kate Leahy is an author and coauthor of more than a dozen books, including Wine Style, Lavash, La Buvette, and Burma Superstar. Her work has been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Smithsonian Magazine. A former line cook turned writer, she lives in San Francisco with her partner and their corgi. Shelley and Kate's first book, A16 Food + Wine, was IACP's Cookbook of the Year. They are also coauthors of SPQR- Modern Italian Food and Wine. This is their third book together, a culmination of two decades of traveling to Italy and tasting Italian wines.