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At Home in the Vineyard: Cultivating a Winery, an Industry, and a Life
by Susan Sokol Blosser

At Home in the Vineyard: Cultivating a Winery, an Industry, and a Life Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

This moving, evocative memoir, woven with lyrical descriptions of the sights and smells of vineyard life, tells the inspirational story of one woman's journey to success in an industry run mostly by men. At Home in the Vineyard, filled with colorful characters and unexpected experiences, brings a local rural community vividly alive as Oregon wine pioneer and industry icon Susan Sokol Blosser recounts how she fell in love with a vineyard, learned how to run it, and ultimately achieved her vision of producing Pinot Noirs to rival those of Burgundy. An intimate family story, At Home in the Vineyard also gives a candid insider's view of Oregon's flourishing wine industry.

Sokol Blosser begins her narrative in the 1970s, when, as a young, idealistic wife, she helped her husband make his wild idea of planting a vineyard in the Dundee Hills become a reality. By the book's final pages, she has become president of Sokol Blosser Winery, widely respected for gaining national visibility and for producing world-class wines, especially the elusive Pinot Noir. Along the way, Sokol Blosser tells how she learned to do everything from driving a tractor and managing a picking crew to selling Oregon wine in Manhattan. She also shares some special accomplishments: how she instituted values of environmental sustainability and social responsibility at the vineyard, integrated family and business life, and successfully brought the second generation on board.

Review:

"In 1970, the Blossers were in their mid-20s, having spent most of their four married years in graduate school or on memorable road trips in their Volkswagon camper. Then, as she puts it, 'Bill and I each gave birth.' She produced their first child, while he bought their first lot of vineyard land — in Oregon. As Blosser explains, in 1970 American wine was supposed to be made in California, if at all. But they were guessing that pinot noir, in particular, might work well in a colder, damper climate if the soil were right and the growing calendar adjusted to work with the weather. The Blossers, together with other Oregon pioneers, built up a well-regarded wine industry, which in recent years has become one of the state's more environmentally progressive industries as well. Blosser tells the story of how they learned both viniculture and small business management. True, their marriage ended after 33 years, but she's not one to dwell on the negative in this upbeat narrative. While Blosser's story might be interesting for a vintner hopeful, general readers may find it flat. Blosser might make great wines, but her writing could use a little more flavor." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"Anyone who has succeeded in running a small business, and those who enjoy pioneering tales, will be on this author's wavelength for much of the time. It is a tale of dogged determination from a soul who clearly feels that the heart is at least as important as the head." The World of Fine Wine

Review:

"A winningly candid tale of how she cofounded Sokol Blosser Winery in the 1970s and with it helped create the Oregon wine industry, all while raising a family." Town & Country

Review:

"The story of both and individual business and the development of the Willamette Valley's wine industry as a whole." The Oregonian

Synopsis:

"Just like the complex Pinot Noir crafted by Sokol Blosser, Susan's life story is layered and rich. Recounting her journey with passion and humor, we share in the professional challenges Susan faced as an Oregon wine industry pioneer, as well as the personal rewards of raising a family and finding self-fulfillment. Even if you're not a wine lover, you will love reading this touching memoir."--Leslie Sbrocco, author of "Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing, and Sharing Wine"

"At last, an intelligent, literate, first-hand observation of the beginnings of the Oregon wine industry. Susan Sokol Blosser was there when we were no more than a handful of families with naive dreams and very dirty boots. Not only does "At Home in the Vineyard" capture those early experiences with exuberant detail and humor, but it also provides insight into her family's private challenges of managing vineyards and a successful winery."--David Adelsheim, President, Adelsheim Vineyard

"This is a coming-of-age story of a wine region and of a woman. It is about finding and following your destiny, but also shaping it yourself. It is about using every success and setback to fuel your own energy, to do the right thing, and to feed your heart. How could this book be both deeply inspiring and funny? Well, that is Susan Sokol Blosser."--Andrea (Immer) Robinson, Master Sommelier and author, "Andrea's Complete Wine Course for Everyone"

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About the Author

Susan Sokol Blosser is President of Sokol Blosser Winery. She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Public Service from the University of Portland.
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Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Prologue: Question

1 Roots
2 Winery
3 Dirt
4 Growth
5 Turnover
6 Vision
7 Renaissance
8 Horizon

Afterword: Reflections
Appendix: An Annotated Time Line of the Oregon Wine Industry
Index

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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
sckoch, September 22, 2006 (view all comments by sckoch)
Susan Sokol Blosser's narrative of her experiences surprised me by its appeal. It is beautifully written -- lyrical and honest -- and draws the reader into the personalities of the people, their fortunes and misfortunes. That is what we could expect of any good memoir. What surprised me was how engaging the author's description of the business of creating vineyards and a winery and marketing their products, along with the struggle to do so with environmentally sound practices. This is a person who has lived her principles and created a richly rewarding life.
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w.meinhardt, August 31, 2006 (view all comments by w.meinhardt)
I could not put down this fascinating account of the history of the Oregon wine that we love. Be prepared to be amused at how these wine rookies learned their craft, nervous whether they would actually be successful, and amazed at how they created a family business to be proud of.
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randy hudson, July 18, 2006 (view all comments by randy hudson)
Susan Sokol Blosser's "At Home in the Viineyard" is an honest, candid, from-the-heart memoir of a woman who helped pioneer the Oregon wine industry while experiencing numerous victories and defeats along the way. Her story covers personal issues with her husband and family, the evolution of the wine industry in Oregon, and her own evolution as a businesswoman who learns many of her lessons the hard way. Her exciting stories include her decision to convert the Sokol Blosser winery into an enterprise focused on sustainability, sensitive to environmental protection. I consider this a must-read for anyone interested in the topics of: wine production and vineyard management, family run business, Willamette Valley history, sustainability, and memoirs that cover the grit as well as the glamour of an interesting, meaningful life.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780520248656
Subtitle:
Cultivating a Winery, an Industry, and a Life
Author:
Blosser, Susan Sokol
Author:
Sokol Blosser, Susan
Publisher:
University of California Press
Subject:
Wine and wine making
Subject:
Women
Subject:
Wine industry
Subject:
Beverages - Wine & Spirits
Subject:
Personal Memoirs
Publication Date:
June 2006
Binding:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
236
Dimensions:
8.32x6.24x.86 in. 1.00 lbs.
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