Journal of Wine Economics Volume 18 | 2023 | No. 2

Despite that, some of the suggestions seem quite forced, which leads to an imbalance across the pages of the book. For example, 13 of the 20 countries (e.g., Argentina, Chile, and England) focus only on one wine region each, for a total of 70 wineries, whereas the seven remaining countries (including France, Spain, and South Africa) describe multi- ple wine regions and account for the other 257 wineries in the book. This could be because the latter-mentioned countries, whether New World (Australia) or Old World (Italy), boast more famous global wine regions and account for larger shares of the world’s wine production; but, while many of the wine regions mentioned may be familiar, others of the more celebrated wine regions (such as Bordeaux) go unrep- resented, which is a very curious editing decision.

Regardless, the presumed popularity of this book resulted in three sequels: Wine Trails: United States & Canada (2018), Wine Trails: Australia & New Zealand (2018), and Wine Trails: Europe (2020). Each of these editions plans for 40 “perfect weekends in wine country” (front cover) as opposed to the original version’s 52, but with more than 250 pages each of recommendations and insights, this should prove to be enough adventure for even the most ambitious traveling oenophile.

Wine Trails: United States & Canada follows a similar theme and trajectory to its predecessor, and even has some repeat wineries throughout its pages. “This is a book for casual quaffers; there’s no impenetrable language about malolactic fermentation or scoring systems. Instead, we meet some of the continent’s most enthusiastic and knowl- edgeable winemakers and learn about each region’s wines in their own words” (p. 2), and this is, indeed, part of the book’s appeal. The guide is not ostentatious, but instead understated and simple for the novice wine taster to use as a reference. As in the original, we see a wide spectrum of state wine regions (ranging from only one in multiple states to 14 in California); and it may seem generous to include Canada, as only five regions are explored across the country, leaving 35 to be spread across the United States in places as up-and-coming as Arizona, Maryland, and Colorado. Still, this follow-up to the global version of Wine Trails could yield some fun weekend getaways.

In the introduction of Wine Trails: Australia & New Zealand, the authors write that “tasting wine in the place it was made can be a revelation” (p. 2). This edition replicates the previous two but is made unique by its regional focus. The book offers 30 itineraries for visiting wine regions across the continent of Australia, save for Northern Territory, with a generous emphasis on the states of South Australia and Victoria, leaving the remaining 10 itineraries covering both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The guidebook offers urban itineraries for Auckland and Wellington, while also sending the traveler to more verdant and bucolic locations like Otago and Gisborne.

Finally, by the time the dedicated reader gets to Wine Trails: Europe, the manual is easy to anticipate as it is a replica of its predecessors. In fact, many of the wine regions visited in the first edition of the travel guide are replicated here. This time, though, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, and Romania are included; and because the focus is solely on Europe, some places can be covered more in depth, and there is an allowance for some new areas to be considered, such as France’s Bordeaux!

Ultimately, Wine Trails: Plan 52 Perfect Weekends in Wine Country and its succes- sors follow a formula that has allowed Lonely Planet to serve as a global guide to tour- ing for half a century. These books should attract travelers looking to stay off the beaten path, while obtaining the inside scoop on an otherwise foreign place of travel.

The remainder of the book is divided by geographical regions, with each of the 13 Anbaugebiete meriting its own chapter. Herein lies the bulk of the book. Krebiehl intro- duces each region with a description of its history, key figures, and relevant data (e.g., varietal plantings). Following each regional introduction, Krebiehl offers descriptions of selected estates, including ownership information, details about plantings, recent changes, and recommendations. While Krebiehl acknowledges that the roster of estates in the book is not exhaustive, it is certainly the most comprehensive list between two covers of which I am aware. Even the most widely traveled of readers will surely find something new, whether about a hitherto unknown estate or even a long-time favorite.

For readers outside of Central Europe, one of the book’s key strengths is its serious look at regions that are less familiar, including Württemberg, Saale-Unstrut, and Hessische Bergstrasse. The section on Württemberg alone covers 24 producers, only a few less than the number covered in the section on the more familiar Mosel. In addition, each chapter features interludes about something peculiar to or particularly important in the region. For example, in the chapter about Württemberg (p. 271), the reader will learn about Schichtstufenlandschaften, or the “tiered layer landscape” that dominates the region. Another of the more interesting interludes describes the Landwein movement in Baden, which Krebiehl cleverly con- nects to the region’s historical/political tradition of going against the grain. A short glossary helps navigate Germany’s notoriously complex wine vocabulary.

Does Vignette succeed in meeting one or more of these three purposes?

In providing a list of wines (and some spirits and beer), the author aims to give the reader “a nearly complete education on the flavors, weights, textures, and emotions that exist in a bottle of wine.”At the start of each chapter is the name of one or more bottles that are featured in the vignette. For example, the bottle that goes with the chapter on California Chardonnay is a Kistler Vineyard Chardonnay. Another chapter on Chablis lists Vincent Dauvissat Les Clos Chablis Grand Cru.

I am not convinced that this information has much value. If a reader is an avid wine drinker, they are likely to already know that Kistler has a reputation for great chardonnay. If not, are they going to spend $200 on a Kistler Vineyard bottle or $600 for the Vincent Dauvissat Les Clos? Also on the list of 100 bottles are Petrus and Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru, two of the most expensive wines in the world. How many readers, after learning about these wines in this book, are going to take out second mortgages on their homes to buy them? To be fair, the book includes an appendix with more affordable alternatives, and some of the wines listed in the main text were new to me, particularly those from less established regions, such as Austria and Greece. Am I likely to follow up on any of the author’s suggestions? Possibly, although I would need to find additional information on vintages, which—very surprisingly—is not provided.

The book has 55 chapters, each a vignette from the author’s life. It begins with her earliest awareness of wine—cheap, oaky California Chardonnay drunk by her parents—and proceeds chronologically to her passing the last of the Master Sommelier exams in 2018, becoming one of only 34 women in the world to do so (the tasting exam was later invalidated when it was discovered that the identity of some of the wines had been accidentally revealed; hence Ms. Lopes does not presently hold the Master Sommelier title). Along the way, the author describes her first taste of great wine (a Brunello di Montalcino), working in upscale restaurants in Chicago, Nashville, and New York, and winning wine-tasting competitions.

Ms. Lopes is not reluctant to share details about her personal life. Her love life is a recurring topic, especially her pursuit of a commitment-phobic boyfriend, in addition to her challenging struggles with health problems. She describes many instances of taking exams, including service exams in which she handled trays of delicate glass- ware, with little sleep, overwhelming anxiety, and uncontrollable shaking. Admirably, she almost always pulls it off.

Overall, I found the quality of the vignettes highly variable. There is a delightful one on white Burgundy. Early in her wine career, she was left in “utter disbelief” at the flavors found in a 30-year-old Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru. She describes the spectrum of Burgundy whites as ranging from “taut and laser-like to opulent and exotic; but it’s the difference between Audrey Hepburn and Sofia Loren, not the dif- ference between Audrey Hepburn and Janis Joplin.” Another I enjoyed is the opening of The Catbird Seat restaurant in Nashville, which featured an ambitious ten-course tasting menu that changed weekly. Ms. Lopes was responsible for pairing wines and other beverages, and she became known for her creative cocktails (e.g., a combination of Alsatian Pinot Gris and Falernum).

There is also an interesting chapter on Malbec, which the author always struggled to identify in blind tastings, often confusing it with Northern Rhone Syrah, California