An Invitation to Go Behind the Scenes with Some of the Most Interesting Winemakers in the World: Natalie Berkowitz's The Winemaker's Hand

    NEW YORK, NY, January 06, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Human beings have been converting grapes into wine for thousands of years--long enough, it would seem, to have it down pat. But as wine expert Natalie Berkowitz makes clear in her absorbing new book The Winemaker's Hand: Conversations on Talent, Technique and Terroir (Columbia University Press), it's the "hand" of the winemaker--the combination of talent, passion, and experience--that breathes soul into an iteration of a particular varietal that makes it more memorable than another. For the first time, author Natalie Berkowitz brings together more than forty of these viticulture maestros from all over the world for a series of fascinating conversations about the art of making wine.

"What's in the winemaker's head is as important as what's in the grape," says Berkowitz who has written on wine, food, and lifestyle for the New York Times, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, and many other publications. "Learning what they were thinking adds another level of enjoyment to the wine."

In The Winemaker's Hand, Berkowitz interviews vintners from France, Germany, Chile, England, Portugal, Spain, the United States, Israel, and Greece. "Winemakers rarely have a platform to talk about their visions, so it was a unique chance to get to hear their personal thoughts about their goals and aspirations."

You don't have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate Berkowitz's relaxed, freewheeling conversations about the art and science of making wine. The love of the wine-making process--from harvest to bottling--comes radiating through these conversations inspiring anyone who's ever had a glass of wine to appreciate the diligence and care that goes into every vintage. Berkowitz believes both connoisseurs and wine neophytes will gain greater insight through these revelations. It's the second best thing to visiting a winery and meeting the winemaker face to face.

Berkowitz taught wine appreciation at Barnard College and Columbia University, where she encouraged her students to think about wine as a blind date. If they liked it, it "would represent the beginning of an adventure to explore regions, varietals, wineries, and winemakers."

For those who are serious about deepening their understanding of fine wine, however, The Winemaker's Hand will prove irresistible. "Few, if any, wine writers have devoted as much time and care . . . to clarifying the disparate paths to memorable wines from around the world . . . ," says Dr. Armand Gilinsky, Korbel & Bros. Professor of Wine Business at Sonoma State University. Anthony Verdoni, "The Wine Professor" and host of Eat Drink Italy with Vic Rallo, calls The Winemaker's Hand a must for anyone serious about understanding the essence of fine wines. "Special wines come from special places made by special people. Through this book wine lovers can travel . . . to important wine regions and experience the dedication and passion of vintners."

Berkowitz knows many of these winemakers personally. So, in addition to freewheeling discussions, The Winemaker's Hand provides a front-row seat to more personal perspectives--Mike Grgich's feeling of excitement and triumph, for example, at winning the Judgment of Paris, the 1976 event that put California wines on the map forever. Or, what it was like for Cathy Corison to break into the field at a time when women vintners had begun to make their mark.

Berkowitz's familiarity with her subjects--as well as her subject--pays off in another way as well. At her request, each vintner provided a personal recipe that pairs perfectly with his or her wine, a bonus for anyone who already knows that wine and food are meant to be savored together.

The Winemaker's Hand is meant to be savored, too. It's a rich, aromatic read, perfect for anyone interested in the magic of one of mankind's oldest--and most enjoyable--markers of civilization.

Natalie Berkowitz is a wine, food, and lifestyle writer. Her articles have appeared in the New York Times, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, and many other publications. She is also the author of the wine blog Winealicious.wordpress.com who formerly taught a wine appreciation course to seniors at Barnard College and Columbia University for over a decade.

For more information, visit http://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-winemakers-hand/9780231167567.

Media contact: Victor Gulotta
Gulotta Communications, Inc.
617-630-9286
http://www.booktours.com
victor(at)booktours(dot)com

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