Winery Peak

This book has been written for an eclectic audience of winery developers (owners), winemakers with utility responsibilities (real or implied), winery design professionals (architects and engineers), and university-level enol ogy professors, all of whom at sometime in their careers must address the subject of winery site utilities as a distinct and important element of their jobs. Wine and other fermented beverages in one form or another are pro duced commercially in almost all temperate zones of the world. Utility requirements for wineries, which use grapes as the fermentable sugar source, are the focus of this reference book, although similarities in fun damental production processes for other subdivisions of the fermented beverage industry may find useful reference information in the chapters which follow. Wine production methods may differ somewhat from country to coun try, but the sizing, need for reliability, ease of operation, and cost-effec tiveness of water, wastewater, electrical, fire protection, and other support systems remain nearly universally constant. Of necessity, the author's past planning and design experience with nearly 60 winery utility systems, will xi xii Preface emphasize contemporary design fundamentals related to the U.S. wine industry. However, where possible, opportunities will be taken to relate American practice to, for example, European, Australian, and South Amer ican wine industries where discrete differences in utility systems have been observed by the author or discovered in the literature research that was part of the production effort for this volume.

Nevada County's tumultuous wine history includes several booms and busts, starting in the 1850s when gold prospectors brought the first grapevines in their saddlebags. Economic downturns, prohibition and war all tried to kill the fledgling wine industry, but it hung on thanks to gentleman farmers and members of the mining industry who supplied a thirsty clientele. Today, although the mines have gone quiet, wineries are thriving in the hills of the Gold Country, and the pioneering spirit lives on in their distinctive vintages and growing techniques. Join author Mary Anne Davis as she explores the family vineyards of the California foothills.

Mondavi, Martini, Sebastiani, Gallo, Bargetto and Perelli-Minetti. Who could deny the importance of Italians to the development of America’s wine industry? It is little known that Italians have been planting vineyards and making wine in America since the early colonial days when Filippo Mazzei was the vineyard consultant for Thomas Jefferson. Grapes were planted and nurtured in virtually every corner of America where Italians settled. Wine making was as sacrosanct as making bread or pasta. Here is the story of Italian immigrants whose descendants now dominate American wine making. How they struggled and endured. How they persisted in the face of Prohibition and facilitated legislation permitting home wine making of 200 gallons per family. The intrigue, the feuds, the love affairs and financial triumphs are all in this authenticated history from the earliest days of America to the new Italian/American wine makers.

California-based wine expert Larry Walker offers indepth reference on the wines of one of the world's most prominent wine-producing regions, the Napa Valley. He explores the history of this region and gives a full description of the grape varieties, viticulture, and winemaking techiques, and recommends vintages to look out for. He also details the top producers and their wines, and includes a topical discussion on recent wine developments in this region.

"I have depended on Charles Olken's Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine for more than 35 years. This new Guidebook is a perfect complement. No other book comes close to its thoroughness, accuracy, and usefulness. It is a must for travelers in California's wine country."—Charles L. Sullivan, author of Zinfandel "Olken's perspective on California wines is unmatched: he spans the landscape from the postwar pioneers to the newest garagistes, and wine criticism from before Parker to the age of blogs. This new guidebook is informed by his 35 years of careful, candid, and comprehensive attention to California wine."—John Winthrop Haeger, author of Pacific Pinot Noir