Journal of Wine Economics Volume 15 | 2020 | No. 1

In this new book by Ian D’Agata, a sequel to his 2014 magnum opus Native Wine Grapes of Italy (D’Agata, 2014; see also my book review, Coia, 2015), the author describes how Italian varieties serve as interpreters of the terroir. Often descriptions of terroir vary, but generally, many authors emphasize factors such as climate, geology, viticulture, and winemaking practices. In this book, however, the emphasis is on the grape variety. This approach is quite reasonable since, absent shoddy winemaking practices that introduce major wine flaws, grape variety is the most impor- tant factor in determining wine taste. There is some overlap in variety descriptors in Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs compared to his prior book, but it should be con- sidered an excellent companion book rather than a competing source of information.
Unlike his prior book, which introduces us to the native varieties and the impor- tance of preserving such varieties, this book allows us to see how these varieties inter- act with the other elements of terroir. In doing so, the reader can develop a true sense of place for the variety and its terroir and understand why a wine of a given variety can taste so different depending on the terroir. Oddly, the author notes that while Italians have developed these variety/terroir relationships over centuries, many do not believe or recognize the terroir concept (which he calls the “Italian job”). This book should go far to help to rectify that lack of understanding for all readers.
The 371-page book has two parts. Part 1 is just 26 pages and provides a general understanding of terroir and its context in Italy. Part 2 consists of the grape varieties and their specific terroirs. The format for the second part includes a discussion of the specific grape variety, the specific terroirs where it is grown, and finally, benchmark wines of that variety and terroir. A three-star scoring system is used to rate the wines, and the abbreviation of PS (prima scelta) is used for top selections, much like the French use hors classe. The terroir descriptions are fascinating and demonstrate why D’Agata is among the world’s best wine writers and certainly one of the most knowledgeable among writers of Italian varieties.
His typical terroir analysis for each variety includes many factors and demon- strates his great depth of knowledge not only as a wine writer with years of experi- ence but also as a physician and scientist. A brief list of some of the factors he presents in his analysis of terroir and variety includes:
–  Maturity parameters usually achieved by the variety (Brix, acidity, tannins, etc.).
–  Climatic considerations including measures of growing degree days (such as the 
Winkler and Huglein indices).
–  Geographic and geologic factors such as location, site elevation, soil types, and soil drainage.
–  Viticulture considerations such as pruning technique, timing of budbreak, vine vigor, productivity, and grape maturity at harvest.
–  Winemaking techniques like air drying of grapes, fermentation time and temper- ature, maceration time, blending, and maturation time.
–  Specific taste and odor descriptions and the molecules associated with them.
–  Genetic issues are sometimes presented when they are distinguishing features for 
the variety and its terroir. 
What does this book offer that his book on varieties does not? While his earlier book was a major achievement in describing native wine grape varieties of Italy and the great impor- tance and need to preserve these varieties, this book goes a step further. It transports the reader to the ancestral homes of these varieties and affords an understanding of how important terroir is in determining wine taste. It is very difficult to separate the effect that various factors play in determining wine taste. Most wine enthusiasts understand that the taste of wine made from varieties like Riesling and Pinot Noir are highly terroir dependent. Here we gain an understanding that the wines of many Italian varieties, for example, Grignolino or Nebbiolo, also are terroir linked. Where possible, D’Agata offers well-planned case studies of the grape variety and its wine grown and made in dif- ferent locations, that attempt to examine the effects of terroir on wine taste (Nero d’Avola serves as an excellent example). He also indicates that while grape variety, and its under- lying genetics, plays the most critical role in wine taste (you cannot have a deeply dark and tannic Sangiovese without blending or other manipulation), in some cases (e.g., Nebbiolo), terroir can play a more important role than the clone.
It will be a great pleasure for me on my next travel to Italy to have this book in hand as I visit a specific region and examine its wines. For example, I had the oppor- tunity to spend a month in the Valpolicella region and developed an appreciation for its wine and terroir. D’Agata’s section on the varieties of Valpolicella, like Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, transported me back to the vineyards and villages that dot the region. Had I had this book with me then I would have had a much greater understanding of not just wine and grape varieties of Valpolicella, but also of the many other aspects of the terroir. I plan to return soon with this book as a companion; however, I will also bring maps of the area.
The book lacks any figures or maps, which significantly limits usefulness. Since each section starts with the name of the variety, it would have been nice if a locator term that indicates the region could have been used at the section’s outset since it often is not until the several paragraphs into the variety description before the author informs of the location of the variety. I understand Italy’s geography and can easily identify its 20 regions, however, despite D’Agata’s excellent description of specific geographies, maps or figures would have been very helpful. I suspect maps were not included because the cost to print them would significantly increase the price of the book.
The book is just over half the number of pages of his prior book. The author apol- ogizes early on in his book for the fact that some regions or varieties did not receive attention due to limitations in the size of the book. An index of varieties covered is included in the appendix. The major and most minor native Italian wine grape vari- eties are discussed in an elegant and well-researched fashion. If one is interested in a region of Italy and does not know the varieties grown there, a bit of work on the part of the reader is required. A helpful list of the terroirs covered in the book is included in the appendix. One region of interest for me is the Trentino-Alto Adige, and only one of its grape variety terroirs (Moscato Giallo) was briefly presented. This was a disappointment since varieties of that region such as Marzemino, Casetta, Teroldego, and Lagrein have gained some interest in the United States. (He does present these varieties in his prior book, but little on their terroirs.) Also included in the appendix is a table, which lists geologic times when specific Italian wine ter- roirs were formed, an extensive bibliography, and a general index.
D’Agata’s experience as a wine taster and writer is not in question as he is known worldwide and has been the recipient of the Comitato Grand Cru, given to Italy’s best wine journalist. I must admit that although I enjoy reading his descriptions of a wine’s taste and aromas and even the molecules associated with them, I often wonder if I am deficient in my sensing abilities or if D’Agata has not occasionally gotten a bit carried away in his descriptions because of his love of these wines. What does a bruised apple taste like? While he has great knowledge and appreciation for science, including biochemistry, he can make a mistake; for example, he states that tartaric acid is sweeter than malic acid. Tartaric acid is a stronger acid than malic acid, and no acid has sweetness!
The author’s engaging writing style provides the reader a great pleasure delving in the complexities of Italian native wine grape terroirs. D’Agata even mentions that the more complex the subject, the more interesting it often is to Italians. This may be true, but I am left to wonder whether there are not also some broad distinguishing concepts that can be said about Italian wines. For example, recently, a well-known wine writer indicated that red Italian wines do share some degree of bitterness that makes one want to take another sip. I, personally, have noticed this as well. Perhaps this statement may seem trivial or banal and not worth considering to someone with D’Agata’s experience, compelling insight, and ability to distinguish nuances in taste, but I do not think it is just a myth.
If you are an Italian wine enthusiast or are involved in the wine industry and want a comprehensive examination of Italian native wine grape terroirs, I highly recom- mend this book. I suggest not reading the book cover to cover but rather choose a grape variety (or region of interest although it will be a bit more difficult) and read that section of the book to best understand the complexities of terroir presented by the author. To accompany Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs, I suggest one should also have a map of Italy that includes the grape growing regions of interest. Another book, which should be of interest to Italian wine lovers, has been recently released entitled, Sangiovese, Lambrusco and Other Vine Stories by Attillio Scienza (2018). This famous Italian grape geneticist traces the lineage of many Italian grape varieties, often using DNA analysis. Like D’Agata’s book, it is solidly based on knowledge and science and provides a delightful story. Both Scienza’s and D’Agata’s books are well researched and add much to the fun that is to be had in learning about Italian wine grape terroirs.

Lawrence Coia
Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association
njwineman@comcast.net
doi:10.1017/jwe.2020.7

Maybe it is because, coincidentally, I had listened to a podcast interview of Nick Jackson, MW, before reviewing his new book that it seemed like I could hear his voice while reading (GuildSomm, 2020). Or perhaps it is because the book is written in a friendly, conversational style that makes the reader feel as if they are getting personal advice and firm guidance from the author on how to improve blind wine tasting results.

Jackson completed his Ph.D. in Theology at Cambridge University, where he dis- covered a passion for wine and a talent for blind tasting. After his studies, he left aca- demia and went into the wine world, first as an auction specialist at Sotheby’s, and then as the buyer for their retail business in New York. All the while, he continued formal wine studies, going from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) courses into the Master of Wine (MW). He has since ventured off on his own, into wine consulting, while continuing to serve as an educator and mentor for stu- dents in the MW program.

Dr. Jackson begins with recounting his own experience, studying for the MW exams. Like many students, his tasting exam preparation had focused on flavours. This garnered him a level of success. But during a trip to Germany and Italy, reflect- ing on his recent MW entry qualifying exams, he had a revelation that such a focus was misguided, and if he were to pass the actual MW exams, he had to concentrate more on the structural components in wine. For white wines, this meant acidity; for red wines, tannin.

This focus on structure rather than on flavour is what is behind the title “Beyond Flavour.” However, with flavour being a significant aspect of wines (for tasting and enjoyment), Jackson does not dispense with it entirely; he treats it as an important source of confirmatory evidence, supporting a conclusion primarily based on struc- ture. In what follows, Jackson goes on to examine the most prominent white and red grapes, examining their structure and noting their flavours, and often the relationship between the two. After the first part of the book Structure: The Basics, explaining his approach, he goes on to Tasting for Grape Variety, then discussing ways of Tasting for Region of Origin. These core sections are devoted solely to still, dry white and red wines. He covers a full range of styles in the subsequent section Other Wine Styles, including sparkling, sweet, fortified, rosé, and orange wines. Two short sec- tions, Tasting for Quality and Miscellaneous Advice, round out the body of the book. There are two appendices, offering approaches to various types of blind tasting exams and notes on specific vintages for certain classic wine regions.

After the introduction, Jackson has a short section on How to Use this Book, suggesting that it is to serve as a reference book to be applied as needed, rather than read cover to cover. I might disagree with him here. I first read the entire book, and then went back to certain parts of it, as needed (I am working through my own WSET Diploma studies). Jackson provides tremendous insight throughout, and if one were to treat it solely as a manual without a thorough once-through, some of this might be missed.

In the second section, Structure: The Basics, Jackson lays out his strategy for a focus on the structural aspects of white and red wines. This sets the direction for this crucial section and the theme for the rest of the book.

For white wines, the key structural component is acidity. The acidity level is assessed and examined in many other approaches to tasting, the WSET, for example, but Jackson goes into it from a very unique perspective. He suggests that there are also types and shapes of acidity for consideration: each varietal has its own specific attributes for these. Jackson offers some of his own adjectives for type, such as “bracing,” and encourages students to come up with their own terms. The idea of “shape” is probably more foreign to readers. It relates to the way the acidity behaves on the palate over the time it spends there.

For red grapes, the key structural component is tannin. This he breaks into com- ponent qualities: level, type, and location. He suggests that, in addition to identifi- able levels, wines will have a consistent type of tannin associated with the grape varieties, and a consistent location on the palate where it is felt. As with the “shape” of acidity, this last characteristic, “location,” is the challenging one. Tannins, in general, are commonly known to be “palate-drying.” Further discerning exactly where on the palate this is felt, however, is the key to correct identification.

Contending that these attributes are unique to grape varieties (the ones used for quality wines, anyway), focusing on them in analysis leads the taster to a conclusion about that variety. Once thoroughly done, it cannot be any other. From that conclu- sion, others can be made, such as the region, for example, and later in the book, even the vintage.

In the next two sections, Tasting for Grape Variety and Tasting for Region of Origin, Jackson applies this focus on structural components. In the former, he starts with white grape varieties, and goes through them individually, examining the level, type, and shape of their acid structure. The shape is where the description gets complicated, requiring a bit of imagination and an appreciation for thinking deeply about what it is that one is sensing. His description suggests the shape of the acidity has space and direction, as a physical movement through time (or not, for a variety whose acid “pins down” the wine). Further, the shape is described in relation to the other parts of the wine, such as body and flavour, and whether they are integrated with or separate from the core acid structure. For some of the varieties discussed, he provides a visual representation of this.

For reds, the discussion of the tannin level gives way to the more detailed analysis of its type and location. Jackson contends that there are different parts of the palate here tannins are, and are not, felt, with some varieties actually having “holes.” This discussion is also related to time and space, as wine moves across the palate on a “journey,” some following a straight trajectory, like an arrow, others more indirect, like a horseshoe.

In Tasting for Region of Origin, Jackson’s extensive knowledge and experience become even more evident as he outlines general considerations for identifying wine regions, then going into specifics of individual regions. The author notes that this section is to be read with reference to the previous section on individual varieties, and even with that, the complex connections that he makes remind the reader of an earlier statement he makes, that some background knowledge of wine styles and grape varieties is assumed.

In the next section, Other Wine Styles, Jackson addresses styles not covered spec- ifically by the previous sections: sparkling, sweet, fortified, rosé, and orange wines. He departs a bit from the focus on acid and tannin, and provides simple and succinct, yet very specific strategies, for assessing these other wines. Useful advice includes identifying the keys to assessing sparkling wines and sweet wines.

Two short sections finish the body of the book, Tasting for Quality and Miscellaneous Advice. Tasting for quality provides a systematic approach for assess- ing quality using a mnemonic that ties together an analysis incorporating and apply- ing important points from previous chapters. Miscellaneous advice touches upon two areas, the challenge posed by identifying blends,and a discussion of wine faults.

Finally, in Appendix 1, Jackson outlines approaches to specific types of examina- tion questions, and in Appendix 2 offers brief descriptions of specific vintages in some classic regions. These short appendices demonstrate Jackson’s experience as a student and then as a mentor for the MW program, and as a former buyer for Sotheby’s retail business in New York, where he gained a great depth of knowledge of the world’s finest wines and their vintage variation. Appendix 1 provides short summaries of approaches to a wide variety of blind exam question types. Appendix 2 represents the most esoteric information the book contains: most of us may never sit through an exam where we would be required to know the difference between 2011, “…a tough, unloved vintage,” and 2010, “…a perfect vintage,” for red Bordeaux. Those who have such aspirations will find the short descriptions in Appendix 2 very helpful.

As a whole, the author successfully delivers on providing a unique blind tasting exam approach, with a focus on structure, rather than flavour. Some may dispute this approach, and he freely admits that it might not resonate with all, with various other approaches available. There is also, however, far more to the book than just the structure-based strategy. Throughout, Jackson identifies pitfalls, points of confusion, and similarities that can lead to examination disasters, as well as the key differences that are the road to success.

The amount of advice he provides leads to a small problem with his intention that the book serves as a reference manual: it does not have an index. As daunting a task as it would be to index the vast and varied information that it contains, hopefully future editions of the book do so.

Another noticeable absence has to do with the discussion of acid structure in specific grape varieties. The illustrations depicting the shape of the acid structure are helpful, but Jackson does not provide one for each of the grapes discussed. While it does seem as though the varieties without visual representation perhaps do not warrant it, or that the written description is sufficient for the reader to imagine it, future editions might consider including such illustrations for all varieties discussed.

Dr. Jackson’s book does a commendable job of synthesizing an enormous amount of technical information into a strategy for blind tasting. While he states early on that a level of knowledge about grape varieties and wine styles is expected of the reader, his approachable writing style makes the book appealing to the personal enthusiast as well as to those pursuing formal programs for professional reasons. It is a clear, easy, enjoyable read, offering a useful strategy for approaching blind tasting exams with which wine enthusiasts can challenge themselves, familiarly written in an audible mentor’s voice that wine students need to hear.

Kenneth A. Fox
University of Saskatchewan, Canada
fox@edwards.usask.ca
doi:10.1017/jwe.2020.8

This is an interesting and small (144 pages) book by Jérôme Douzelet, a chef and owner of a nice hotel cum restaurant, and Gilles-Eric Séralini, a molecular biologist, political advisor, an activist on genetically modified organisms and foods, who got several times in trouble with Monsanto. Still, this did not refrain me from reading the book, which sets out to show that, at blind tastings, people can detect the flavor of pesticides in wine and/or in fresh water in which a certain number of pesticides were diluted at the same concentration as in wines. And indeed, in blind tastings, subjects seem to be able to identify the flavor of specific “ingredients.” The book is written in French, but a summary can be found in the paper by Gilles-Eric Séralini and Jérôme Douzelet (2017). But I started reading the book with the list of poisons used in the wine “industry.” They are listed in alphabetical order with, between brackets, comments on nose and mouth: Boscalid, fungicide (taste of chlorine, evokes the smell of burning); Cyprodinil, fungicide (burns in the throat, bitterness, astringent); Fenhexamid, fungi- cide (taste of chemical candy, strawberry, chocolate, chlorinated vanilla, cardboard); Folpel and Phthalimid, fungicide (volatile alcohol, dries the palate, pecks the tip of the tongue, bitterness); Glyphosate, weed killer (acidic, burns, blocs detection in the mouth, pecks in the throat); Iprodione, fungicide (irritates, burns, tastes of old plastic, bleach, burnt tire, but also some vanilla); Iprovalicard, fungicide (astringent, taste of chlorine, or chemical drug, mold, but also taste of nuts); Polyethoxylated, tallow amine, used in Roundup and other friendly pesticides and weed killers (drains and blocks papillae, rough, but also scents of flowers); Pyrimethanil, fungi- cide (taste of earth, dust, pine, menthol, aspirin, bleach); and, of course, the best was kept for the end, Roundup, weed killer (putrefied wood, benzene, dries the mouth and the tongue, burns or pecks). Most of this tastes good, indeed, and the authors should be congratulated for having taken the pain to describe the characteristics (nose and mouth) of each poison when it is diluted in fresh water (see more later). The authors claim that, to their knowledge, the experiment they ran was “the first where humans [could] identify pesticides by taste.”1 They met with some 70 other wine professionals and organized a series of blind tastings, each of which consisted of two wines (one bio, the other “normal”) from the same (seven) regions, similar terroirs (as long as terroir can be defined), the same grapes, and the same vintages. Before the blind tastings were held, all wines (16 times two, for bio and “normal”) had been tested in two professional labs to dis- cover which pesticides and heavy metals they contained. Samples of “water” were prepared by mixing the pesticides found in the wines coming from some 30 vine- yards. The glasses of “water” contained the exact same dosages as those found in the wines. The blind tasting of each couple of wines was organized as follows: Step 1. Tasting the two wines, and choosing which one was preferred, and why. Step 2. Detecting pesticides in “water.” Each taster was presented with glasses of “water,” containing the quantity of one of the pesticides the taster had detected in the wine.
Step 3. Tasters had to recognize the pesticides tasted in one or both wines of Step 1. They also had to briefly describe what they noticed, with as much precision as possible. The results of the 195 blind tests that they ran in 2017 and that are discussed in the book are as follows: (a) in 77 percent of the cases, the bio wine was preferred; (b) 57 percent of the tasters were able to match the taste of pesticides in the “water” and the one in the (usually non-bio) wine, but could not necessarily put a name on the pesticide, with the exception of Fenhexamid, however, they fully acknowledged that pesticides changed the taste of natural aromas; and (c) the idea of tasting diluted pesticides in water at the dosage that is found in wines led to sensations that permeate the brain and eventually made it possible to recognize them in wines. According to the authors, some of them taste as artificial strawberries, others as old beards of smokers, or beards of old smokers. To my understanding, the main idea was to determine whether wine tasters, once they are slightly trained, can find and distinguish the tastes of these poisons, and the way I understood the book, the message is fivefold: (a) pesticides change the taste of wines, (b) it does not take very long for experienced tasters to distinguish that the wines they taste contain pesticides they can discern, and how each pesticide tastes, (c) professional wine tasters should be trained to detect pesticides, (d) professional wine critics should perhaps dwell on those additional flavors in the papers they write, and make consumers aware of what they drink, and most importantly, (e) never provoke or mess with Monsanto.2)

Though I used to be quite skeptical about bio wines, after having read the book, my advice would be to go for bio, even if the wine does not taste like the old beard of an old smoker. In fact, a paper published in this Journal analyzed this question empir- ically (Delmas, Gergaud, and Lim, 2016) and reached the same conclusion.

2 Seralini had to retract a study on Roundup that he published in 2012 in Food and Chemical Toxicology 50 (2012), pp. 4221–4231. It is worth reading what happened in an article published by the French newspaper Le Monde, and translated into English. See The Seralini Affair—or the secret history of a torpedo, avail- able at https://www.gmwatch.org/en/news/latest-news/17908-the-seralini-affair-or-the-secret-history-of-a- torpedo. In a few words, the editor of the journal in which the paper was published and later retracted, considered that “no definitive conclusions could be drawn from the inconclusive data,” but forgot to mention, as he should have, that he was “bound by a consultancy contract to Monsanto.” Note, however that, at the time, Nature considered the way Seralini behaved after he had made his discovery to be “a public-relations offensive,” and several “food safety and regulatory agencies condemned the paper.”

Victor Ginsburgh
Université libre de Bruxelles
vginsbur@ulb.ac.be
doi:10.1017/jwe.2020.9

A memoir by someone under 30? Outrageous! What can we learn from someone so young, especially if 30 is the new 18? Quite a bit, actually. In less than a decade, Victoria James has gained important recognition. She became a Certified Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers at age 21. In 2013, she won the Chilean Wine Challenge in New York and was named Best Sommelier of the Sud de France. Two years later, she came in first in the Ruinart Champagne Sommelier Challenge in New York, was named by Forbes as one of the “Top 10 Innovators under 30 in New York City,” and earned a place on Zagat’s 30 under 30 list. She made Wine Enthusiast’s 2016 Top 40 under 40 Tastemakers list and secured the title of Wine & Spirits Magazine “2016 Best Sommelier.” In 2017, she published her first book, Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé, which was illustrated by her future husband, Lyle Railsback. Forbes included her on their 2018 30 Under 30 list. That same year, Food & Wine called James the Best Sommelier in New York City. She is now a partner and beverage director at Cote in New York City and cofounder of Wine Empowered, a nonprofit that helps women and minor- ities enter the hospitality industry. But what makes her story so special is what she had to overcome to finally succeed and how she did so. The prologue describes a disturbing encounter with some obnoxious customers during James’ first year as the youngest sommelier in the United States involving a bottle of 2009 Domaine Ramonet Chevalier-Montrachet at which time she was first called wine girl. She then presents her story in seven parts, each covering a span of ages: 7–14, 14–19, 19–20, 21–23, 23–24, 24–26, and 26–28. Each part con- tains three or four chapters with titles including “The Poor Kids,” “The Wine School,” “Wine is a Blood Sport,” “Watch Out for the Wives,” and “The Real World.” In Part I, James, the second born of four children, recounts her childhood from hell. “I grew up in a household of manipulation and neglect, left to fend for myself” (p. 242), she stresses. Her mother was an Italian countess but lacked the basic skills needed to be an effective spouse and parent. Her father came from a more humble background, had strong analytic skills, which he never seemed to apply, and was frequently absent and broke. He eventually fell into alcoholism and developed a gambling addiction. “This juxtaposition of blue blood and blue collar is what I believe groomed me for the eventual role of a sommelier, essentially a highbrow servant” (p. 11), she explains. Her mother homeschooled her brood until succumbing to frailty, an overbearing husband, and to the demands of raising her children. She became reclusive. With their father off on extended trips, the children were left to fend for themselves and had to cobble together meals from what few edibles were around. “We had to make the sleeve of crackers last for days” (p. 16), she recalls. James’ first foray into the beverage business was a lemonade stand. Her father col- lected the cost of materials and a rental fee for the table. Becoming a better shopper and more attentive to customer preferences led her to succeed in her first beverage director experience. A particularly traumatic episode involved eight-year-old Victoria slamming the car door on her mother, as James’ father, fed up with his wife’s neglect, took the chil- dren to live with his mother in their aunt’s house. “The Poor Kids” covers the time of the divorce proceedings, tutoring by an unemployed physically and mentally abusive father, and little money. It also describes the transition to public school, where the children skipped a grade after testing high. “I found that because my father had drilled into me with relentless focus, I always forced myself to learn at an unusually accelerated pace” (p. 34), James acknowledges. At age 13, James was hired as a waitress at a diner in New Jersey, where her father had landed them. Part I concludes with the story of her friendship with the cook and dishwasher. Despite the grossness of many of the tasks, the two never grumbled. “Sometimes the more honest the work, the more honest the people” (p. 51), observes James. During her teens, the era comprising Part II, new challenges and traumas arose. James’ father returned from triple-bypass surgery with a new partner, who later gave him a fourth daughter. Later he succumbed to alcoholism and gambling. During the frequent trips to Atlantic City so that her father could indulge in his vice, James kept busy by becoming an “unofficial drink runner” (p. 64), collecting chips as tips and learning about classic cocktails along the way. James took a job at the Plaza Diner when she was 15 and credited Franky, the most senior waiter, who taught her how to be a “real hospitality professional” (pp. 68–69). “The advice I most appreciated from Franky was about customers. ‘You gotta love ‘em, I mean it…Tell ‘em you love ‘em, too’” (p. 69), she remembers. While this advice generally served her well, it led to her rape by a regular during the graveyard shift. Because he seemed trustworthy, she accepted a ride home. He attacked her in his car not far from her house. She did not discuss the trauma with anyone and suffered nightmares. She also began to abuse alcohol and drugs. Although Part III is titled Age 19–20, it really started earlier. At 17, James was in New York in college on a scholarship. Her academic career ended in less than a year, as she continued to indulge in booze and drugs. An aunt took her to California, but this did not turn out well, and she ended up back in New Jersey living with her father. A few months later, having kicked drugs with the help of therapy, she returned to New York City, where she has been since. In the Big Apple, James took a series of positions in higher-end restaurants in which she expanded her knowledge of cocktails and developed a love of wine. At Lattanzi, she had her first wine and food pairing epiphanies. She enrolled in a wine school where she met her first sommelier. At Harry’s, she acquired a mentor who shared some of the treasures of its legendary cellar, although not with the per- mission of the owner. While there, she assisted in reorganizing the collection when not tending bar. But after teaching her about wine and introducing her to haute cuisine, the mentor began to pressure her. “I so desperately wanted to be in that wine cellar, to learn and touch all those rare bottlings. I needed to make a living, too. So eventually, I gave in” (p. 134), she admits. At the recommendation of her mentor, James worked a harvest in Sonoma. When she returned to New York City, she began to see an acupuncturist/therapist to deal with some of the physical effects of the harvest. James also credits her mentor with helping her cope with her emotional issues. Things started to look up when James was 21 to 23, the period covered in Part IV. With the help of the instructor at the wine school, James became a sommelier at the Michelin-starred Aureole. She continued at the wine school, entered wine competi- tions, and became a Certified Sommelier. She later migrated to Marea, a Michelin two-star restaurant. But as James discovered, Marea was but a way station to Ristorante Morini, a new establishment she would help open. Part V covering age 23–24 details the rise and demise of that venture following a bad review by a New York Times critic, Pete Wells. She returned to Marea and became a full-time sommelier after surviving a grueling trial period.
Part VI, Age 24–26, describes James’ transition from a hectic and toxic environ- ment to an island of tranquility. During this time, James took trips to out-of-the- country wine regions that she had won in competitions. There was also recognition in several publications, as noted earlier. Despite her growing reputation, James lost her job at Medea the day after she learned she was on Zagat’s “30 under 30” list. But there was also another rape, this time by an unnamed boss in a wine cellar. The abuse to which she acquiesced for fear of losing her job lasted months. Now shuttered Piora became James’ next opportunity. It brought serenity and respect into her working life, and when it closed, an even greater chance to grow and excel. It, too, had been Michelin-starred under the proprietorship of Simon Kim, who not only took care of patrons, but, also, the small staff. There James thrived. As wine director, she “instituted a policy where a guest could order any bottle on the list and only commit to drinking half of it, hence paying half price” (p. 254). She also was responsible for purchasing wine. Unlike many restaurants in New York City, which markup wine three to four times retail, James used a factor of 2.9 and sold twice as many bottles. At the end of Part VI, James shares the story of how she met her husband, Lyle, a wine salesman for Kermit Lynch. The final part, Age 26–28, continues with reminis- cences of the courtship and ends with the wedding at the family castle in Piemonte. It also describes the closing of Piora and the opening of Cote, the Korean steakhouse awarded a Michelin star a few months after. There James insists that all wines by the glass are poured from magnums bottled especially at the sources in France because “the wine…stays fresher for longer and tastes better” (p. 289). While at times utterly depressing and infuriating, Wine Girl was an engaging read. James’ style is forthright and unadorned. It must have been painful for her to recount the abuse she experienced or witnessed, which she does in explicit language. Admittedly, I was hoping for some occasional respite from the unalloyed descrip- tions of mistreatment she endured. A little more on notable wines she had tasted, food pairings she recommended, or positive encounters with patrons would have helped leaven her heavy narrative. Nevertheless, I came away in awe of this young star, whose intelligence, persistence, and resilience are bringing her recognition and peace. “I had grit” (p. 220), she proudly declares. Wine Girl is the “wine cellar confidential” in the age of the Me Too movement worthy of our regard. James’ cathartic account of her physical and psychological abuses and indignities over the recent past should serve as a cautionary tale remind- ing us that despite increased opportunities for women in male-dominated profes- sions, attitudes and behaviors remain largely unchanged. A female coworker’s response to a customer who was “calling her the most horrid names” (p. 195) bears repeating: “‘Sir, with all due respect, I am a human being. I would demand, at the very least, recognition as such’” (p. 195). James’ poignant story needs to be told to everyone in the hospitality industry and to those who come in contact with it. In other words, everyone.

Neal D. Hulkower
McMinnville, OR
nhulkower@yahoo.com
doi:10.1017/jwe.2020.10

In the Spring of 2011, I was asked to join Karl Storchmann (Editor of the Journal of Wine Economics) in speaking to a group of grape growers and wine makers in Pittstown, New Jersey, home to one of Rutgers University’s several agricultural extension services. After our presentations, and some spirited discussion, we adjourned to lunch, accompanied by barrel samples of wines from the 2010 vintage in New Jersey. Thus occurred my New Jersey wine epiphany! Both Karl and I thought the wines on offer were of excellent quality. How, I wondered, did I live in the state of New Jersey for 50 years without knowing there were such high-quality, local producers? In the nine years since that time, I have come to realize that I was not alone— New Jersey wines are among the most under-rated in the world. That is not to say that all producers or growers are making superior products, but there are many who do, and the number increases almost monthly. That single day in Pittstown led to a decision by the American Association of Wine Economists to hold their 2012 annual meeting in Princeton, NJ. Where, people asked, would we find local wines to serve to our members? It turns out the wines were not hard to find, and some were being made only a few miles away. The culmination of the meeting was a blind tasting, arranged in the style of the famous Judgment of Paris (where California wines were compared to French wines). And yes, in this Judgment of Princeton, the New Jersey wines were not only competitive with the fine (and very expensive) French wines in the tasting, in some cases, they were superior. Indeed, you can read all about it in a Wikipedia entry constructed, in part, by two of the French judges at the Judgment of Princeton. In addition, the Journal of Wine Economics devotes an entire issue to the tasting (see Ashenfelter and Storchmann, 2012, and four more articles). One thing led to another, and in 2015 I even began planting a small vineyard site with vinifera grapes in South Jersey. We have had two small harvests from these young vines, and so far, the wine made from those grapes has not disappointed. It is true that rain in September does reduce grape quality (just as it does in Bordeaux). And we have been lucky enough to avoid, so far, any of the deep winters that can completely destroy a vinifera vine. But you can read all about this and much, much more in this fine book by two of New Jersey’s distinguished agricultural scientists. Larry Coia and Dan Ward have decades of experience with grape growing in New Jersey, and they are uniquely qualified to write this book. I hope that grape growers, wine consumers, and wine makers will take the lessons in the book to heart. There are a lot of mistakes we need to avoid if New Jersey is ever to have the reputation it deserves for fine wine. Things have started to change, but it will be a long, hard road traveled before we see the progress the wine industry deserves. I was present recently at the Governor’s Cup celebration in the Governor’s Residence when New Jersey’s First Lady, Tammy Murphy, announced that henceforth, only New Jersey wines would be served in the Residence. That is a fine start to the journey. This book will be excellent guidance for many people, but it is not yet a fully finished project. There is much to learn about grape growing and grape suitability in New Jersey. This book should really be called Wine Grape Varieties for New Jersey, First Edition. I am already looking forward to the second edition. The book is available to order through Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association, at www.outercoastalplain.com.

Orley Ashenfelter
Princeton University
c6789@princeton.edu
doi:10.1017/jwe.2020.11

As this volume of work was awarded the 2019 International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) prize for the best new book in the “economy” category, I was rea- sonably confident that this would be an interesting book to review. The volume asks: What models of industrial organization are present in the main wine producing countries? Can different industrial organization characteristics be identified and described? And are the differences in approach between the old, new, and very new wine production countries really that substantial? The 28 contributed chapters are grouped into five parts: Part I is the Structure of the Wine Sectors of the World; Part II is Regulations in the Wine Sector; Part III is Diversity of Organisation in the Wine Industry; Part IV is Backwards Vertical Integration; Part V is Efficiency of the Business Models in the Different Wine Industries. Part I consists of a series of self-contained country specific chapters that provide an overview of the characteristics of the production systems used in each country. The old world is represented through chapters on France, Italy, and Spain; the new world through chapters on the United States, Australia, Argentina, and South Africa; and the very new world by a chapter on China. All of these chapters provide a treasure of facts and figures on what is grown, where it is grown, sales chan- nels, corporate structures, and the relative importance of geographical indicators (Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)). All of the chapters are interesting, and rather than being just relevant to industrial organization research, these chapters represent great country specific references. As the China market is the market I know least well, I found this material especially interesting. At the end of these chapters it is apparent that there are some structural differences between countries, for example, the relative importance of taxation issues as a factor influencing structures (more important in the new world); the role of co-operatives (more important in the old world), and differences in land availability for planting (generally unrestricted in the new world and highly restricted in the old world). Overall, however, there are many factors that are less different than one might ini- tially think. For example, although industry concentration is higher in the new world, the actual size of large firms is not that dissimilar across both new and old world countries. There also seems to be a convergence towards the use of geograph- ical identifiers across all producers, and a broad movement towards higher-quality wine production everywhere, although each country is starting from a different base. Part II first provides an overview of the activities of the OIV and the World Wine Trade Group (WWTG). Although OIV has a long European history, and the WWTG is a modern new world focused group, both organizations are shown to have complementary objectives. There are no formal links between the two organi- zations, but the reader is left with the impression that convergence in core objects is likely. The chapter on European wine policy provides an honest account of policy interventions and their results and provides an excellent historical overview. The trade chapter places wine trade within a broader context of barriers to market access and concludes with coverage of topics that are both important for wine trade and global trade more generally: the current “America first” trade policies of the United States, and the disruption to trade associated with the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. If the Part I chapters drew the reader towards the similarities across wine produc- ing countries, the Part III chapters start by refocusing the attention of the reader on the industrial organization aspects that are genuinely different between the old and new world producers. A transaction cost framework is then used to explain the dif- ferent organizational features across vineyards, wineries, and decisions, such as the extent of contracting at different wineries. This is followed by a detailed examination of co-operative strategies for growth that draws on information gathered through a series of semi-structured interviews with managers that have actually been involved in real world wine co-operative mergers. The section concludes with a detailed Bordeaux region study that highlights the complex relationships between the differ- ent actors along the supply chain. Part IV can be viewed as a set of case studies. The first case study focuses on strat- egies in Burgundy and uses cluster analysis to identify groups, and in doing so, high- lights the diverse approaches that can be used to operate profitable wine businesses. The focus of the second case study is Bordeaux, and Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) information is combined with data from France’s Computerised Vineyard Register (CVI) to create a detailed database for 684 farms, that include 258 co-operatives. Following a review of financial performance, the case study focuses on the vertical integration options for co-operatives. Prosecco production is the focus of the third case study, and again, analysis is supported through the creation of a detailed and comprehensive industry sector database. The case study reveals a complex industry structure, but also describes a positive story of industry sector performance. The final case study provides contrasting specific examples of approaches to integration in the old world, where planting rights constraints are present, and the new world, where such constraints do not exist. The role of land availability and land ownership structure in influencing indus- try organization is especially clear in this final case study; however, the role of land availability and land ownership structure as factors shaping industry organization is a common element to all of the case studies. The structure of chapters in Part V presents a balanced view of the relative success of different structures, for example, Brand v. PDO, and shows that there is no single, definitive dominant strategy. There are multiple examples of success, and both collec- tive and individual reputation are important features of the wine market that influence industrial organization structures. Contrasting two different successful strategies— Chile and Switzerland—serves to highlight this point. Different models coexist at the regional, national, and international levels, and both strategy and industry struc- tures are constantly evolving at each level. Part V, and the volume as a whole, con- cludes with some observations about future possible drivers of change. Overall, the volume is an excellent reference for anyone wanting to understand the industrial organization setting of the global wine industry. The volume is also, definitely, a worthy winner of the OIV prize for the best new book in the economy category.

James Fogarty
The University of Western Australia
james.fogarty@uwa.edu.au
doi:10.1017/jwe.2020.12