Gerald Asher, who served as “Gourmet’s” wine editor for thirty years, has drawn together this selection of his essays, published in “Gourmet” and elsewhere, for the collective insight they give into why a wine should always be an expression of a place and a time. Guiding the reader through twenty-seven diverse wine regions in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and California, he shows how every wine worth drinking is a reflection of its terroir – in the broadest sense of that untranslatable word. In evocative reminiscences of wines, winemakers, and the meals he has had with them, he weaves together climate, terrain, and local history, sharing his knowledge and experience so skillfully that we learn as we are entertained and come to understand, gradually, that the meaning and pleasure of a wine lie always in the context of its origin and in the concurrence of where, how, and with whom we enjoy it.
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From the Inside Flap
“Gerald Asher brought to Gourmet the magazine’s most literate, scholarly, and civilized column. For a balanced view, a true feel for wine’s values, he has no peer. And he is always a joy to read.”–Hugh Johnson, author of A Life Uncorked and The World Atlas of Wine
“Gerald Asher is amongst the most erudite men I know. With an exceptional palate, he appreciates wines of great elegance, subtlety, and finesse, and his writings capture the essence of many fine wines.”–Christian Moueix, Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix
“Wine can occasionally be silken textured, as can its prose, especially in Gerald Asher’s hands. He is the Maestro, the Doyen, and my inspiration since the 1970s.”–John Livingstone-Learmonth, author of
The Wines of the Northern Rhône
“Gerald Asher’s eye for telling detail makes for addictively readable prose”–Terry Theise, author of
Reading between the Wines
“When it comes to style as well as substance, no one writing about wine in the English language comes close to Gerald Asher. These articles from Gourmet magazine are as fresh and informative as they were when initially published.
A Vineyard in My Glass deserves a place on every wine lover’s bookshelf.”–Steve Heimoff, author of A Wine Journey Along the Russian River
In a wine world that is obsessed with points and descriptors, Gerald Asher’s writing is utterly refreshing. No matter his topic, he reminds us that the most interesting things about wine are the place it comes from and the people who make it.–Carole Meredith, Professor Emerita of Enology, UC Davis
From the Back Cover
“Gerald Asher brought to Gourmet the magazine’s most literate, scholarly, and civilized column. For a balanced view, a true feel for wine’s values, he has no peer. And he is always a joy to read.”–Hugh Johnson, author of A Life Uncorked and The World Atlas of Wine
“Gerald Asher is amongst the most erudite men I know. With an exceptional palate, he appreciates wines of great elegance, subtlety, and finesse, and his writings capture the essence of many fine wines.”–Christian Moueix, Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix
“Wine can occasionally be silken textured, as can its prose, especially in Gerald Asher’s hands. He is the Maestro, the Doyen, and my inspiration since the 1970s.”–John Livingstone-Learmonth, author of
The Wines of the Northern Rhône
“Gerald Asher’s eye for telling detail makes for addictively readable prose”–Terry Theise, author of
Reading between the Wines
“When it comes to style as well as substance, no one writing about wine in the English language comes close to Gerald Asher. These articles from Gourmet magazine are as fresh and informative as they were when initially published.
A Vineyard in My Glass deserves a place on every wine lover’s bookshelf.”–Steve Heimoff, author of A Wine Journey Along the Russian River
In a wine world that is obsessed with points and descriptors, Gerald Asher’s writing is utterly refreshing. No matter his topic, he reminds us that the most interesting things about wine are the place it comes from and the people who make it.–Carole Meredith, Professor Emerita of Enology, UC Davis
About the Author
Gerald Asher is the author of The Pleasures of Wine, Vineyard Tales, Wine Journal, and On Wine. As an international wine merchant, he was decorated by the French Government in 1974 for his contribution to French viticulture, in 2001 was named Outstanding Wine Professional of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, and in 2009 was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintner’s Hall of Fame.
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