Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs

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(published by University of California Press)

About the Book

Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs is the definitive reference book on the myriad crus and the grand cru wine production areas of Italy’s native wine grapes. Ian D’Agata’s approach to discussing wine, both scientific and discursive, provides an easy-to-read, enjoyable guide to Italy’s best terroirs. Descriptions are enriched with geologic data, biotype and clonal information, producer anecdotes and interviews, and facts and figures compiled over fifteen years of research devoted to wine terroirs. In-depth analysis is provided for the terroirs that produce both the well-known wines (Barolo, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino) and those not as well-known (Grignolino d’Asti, Friuli Colli Orientali Picolit, Ischia). Everyday wine lovers, beginners, and professionals alike will find this new book to be the perfect complement to D’Agata’s previous award-winning Native Wine Grapes of Italy.

(As the subject of Italy’s wine terroirs and its many native grapes is immense, Ian will follow up with another book on Italy’s wine terroirs in 2020, essentially a part 2 to this first opus, one that will discuss more grapes and terroirs).

Reviews

“Part walking Wikipedia, part philosopher, Ian D’Agata supplies a wealth of information on Italian wine—both fact and lore—and his latest book is a must-have and a compelling read for all lovers of Italy, Italian culture, and Italian wine. Ian’s unique voice and unparalleled access to Italy’s most famous, most infamous, and those not-yet-discovered winemakers and vignerons tells a fascinating story of Italy’s history through the lens of agriculture and winemaking.”––Laura DePasquale, Master Sommelier

“D’Agata’s prose is as noteworthy as its scholarly content. Anyone interested in delving deeply into Italian wine needs a copy of this book”—Michael Apstein, James Beard Award–winning wine writer and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

“I get asked all the time, which wine writers do I most admire? Ian D’Agata is always at the top of my list. He is that rarest of creatures, a once-in-a-generation great wine writer, and a benchmark for writing beautifully, engagingly, and with compelling insight. Really, nobody today does it better.”––Matt Kramer, author of True Taste: The Seven Essential Wine Words

 

(Adapted from the UC Press website)

The Grapes and Wines of Italy

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IAN D’AGATA   MICHELE LONGO
Independent Published

 

 

 

The Grapes and Wines of Italy – the definitive compendium region by region is an up to date, scientifically researched but very user-friendly guide to Italy’s grapes, wines and most important terroirs. Easy to read yet highly informative, this book is ideal for wine lovers, wine professionals and wine students preparing for exams both at the entry and advanced/Master level.

Salient features include:

  • A simple introduction to Italy’s 20 regions
  • The latest information on Italy’s native, traditional and international grape varieties presented in easy to access individual file format
  • Key information and breakdown of Italy’s most important wine terroirs
  • Lists of the denominations and wines
  • Easy to consult tables and graphs
  • The best wine producers region by region.

Ever since I wrote my multi-award-winning Native Wine Grapes of Italy (NWGI) and Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs (INWGT), people everywhere have asked me when I might follow it up with a shorter, abridged version that might prove less encyclopedic and easier to leaf through and carry around. And so I set out to write just such a book, the one that you are now holding in your hands. You will find it is written in a simple, note-type format, with plenty of tables and graphs so as to make the learning of what is at times a really complex subject matter hopefully a little easier.

Five valid reasons why a new book on the subject of Italy’s wine grapes and wines had become necessary.

First, because seven years have passed since the publication of “Native Wine Grapes of Italy”: this is a time frame more than long enough for a considerable body of new information pertaining to Italy’s native grapes and wines to have accumulated. Clearly, an update of the original tome had become not just desirable, but necessary.

Second: we wanted a new book on the subject of Italy’s wine grapes to broach not just the country’s plethora of native wine grapes, but the country’s international grapes too; so here you will also find information on the likes of Sylvaner, Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot addressed as well.

Third: this new book’s user-friendly mission also includes sections on Italy’s many wines and denominations. In other words, not just the wine grapes, but their wines and their official denominations too, which you’ll find listed at the end of every chapter.

Fourth: to give wine lovers at least a small working knowledge on Italy’s best wine terroirs.

Fifth: I am now the President and Chief Scientific Officer of China’s TerroirSense Academy, not to mention the Editor-in-Chief of the TerroirSense Wine Review. Therefore, this book will also serve as the recommended text for that school’s Italian wine courses.