Land and Wine

This in-depth tour of the French winemaking regions illustrates how the soil, underlying bedrock, and microclimate shape the personality of a wine.

France has long been the world's greatest wine-producing country. Its various regions each offer unique tasting experiences, from the spice of Bordeaux to the berry notes of the Loire Valley. In Land and Wine, geologist Charles Frankel guides readers through these and ten other regions, including Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, Provence, and the Rhône valley, to explore the full meaning of terroir.

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; 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, dinosaurs, and a menagerie of fossils flavoring the vineyards. Frankel also blends in anecdotes about winemakers and historic wine enthusiasts while offering travel tips and itineraries for visiting the wineries today.