Synopses & Reviews
Inspired by a deep passion for wine, an Italian heritage, and a desire for a land somewhat wilder than his home in southern France, Robert V. Camuto set out to explore Sicilyand#8217;s emerging wine scene. What he discovered during more than a year of traveling the region, however, was far more than a fascinating wine frontier.and#160;
and#160;Chronicling his journey through Palermo to Marsala, and across the rugged interior of Sicily to the heights of Mount Etna, Camuto captures the personalities and flavors andand#160;the traditions and natural riches that have made Italyand#8217;s largest and oldest wine region the world travelerand#8217;s newest discovery. In the islandand#8217;s vastly different wines he finds an expression of humanity and natureand#8212;andand#160;the space where the two merge into something more.and#160;Here, amid the wild landscapes, lavish markets, dramatic religious rituals, deliciously contrasting flavors, and astonishing natural warmth of its people, Camuto portrays Sicily at a shining moment in history. He takes readers into the anti-Mafia movement growing in the former mob vineyards around infamous Corleone; tells the stories of some of the islandand#8217;s most prominent landowning families; and introduces us to film and music celebrities and other foreigners drawn to Sicilyand#8217;s vineyards. His book takes wine as a powerful metaphor for the independent identity of this mythic land, which has thrown off its legacies of violence, corruption, and poverty to emerge, finally free, with its great soul intact.Watch the
Review
"[Camuto] is a stylish writer with a gift for describing the way his subjects look and think, and express themselves in words and wine. He explains each winemakers approach and results, also adding a bit of insight about intra-French competition and the export market in the French wine industry today."-Claire Walter, Culinarycolorado.com(Claire Walter, Culinarycolorado.com)
Review
"If you think you would enjoy having a conversation with a passionate French wine craftsman, dive into Robert Camuto's delicious new book. I spend a good part of my life underground in France, and everything Camuto relates of his adventures rings true. And to those of you tiring of the varietal bandwagon, here's an escape route."-Kermit Lynch, wine importer and author of Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Buyers Tour of France(Kermit Lynch, Aug 24 2007 )
Review
"[Camuto] is a stylish writer with a gift for describing the way his subjects look and think, and express themselves in words and wine. He explains each winemakers approach and results, also adding a bit of insight about intra-French competition and the export market in the French wine industry today."-Claire Walter, Culinarycolorado.com(Claire Walter, Culinarycolorado.com)
Review
"[Corkscrewed] inspires thirst and curiosity. . . . Just as a trip around the French countryside reveals dozens of dishes that never make it to French restaurants in the United States, Mr. Camutos adventures will introduce readers to little-known French wines like Domaine Borrely-Martin of Provence, Chƒteau Moss‚ of Roussillon and Domaine des Tres Cantous of Gaillac and to the passionate individuals that persevere despite the absence of monetary reward. These may not be the wines that earn one spurs as a connoisseur, but they certainly may produce a worthy sense of humility at how much there is to learn. I cant wait to drink them."-Eric Asimov, New York Times, Dining & Wine section(Eric Asimov, New York Times Dining & Wine, Dec 16 2008 )
Review
"A good read."-JancisRobinson.com(JancisRobinson.com)
Synopsis
Robert V. Camuto s interest in wine turned into a passion when he moved to France and began digging into local soils and cellars. Corkscrewed recounts Camuto s journey through France s myriad regions and how the journey brought about a profound change in everything he believed about wine.The world of great wines was once dominated by great Bordeaux chateaux. As those chateaux were bought up by moguls and international corporations, the heart of French winemaking moved into the realm of small producers, whose wines reflect the stunning diversity of regional environment, soil, and culture terroir. In this book we follow Camuto across France as he works harvesting grapes in Alsace, learns about wine and bombs in Corsica, and eats and drinks his way through the world s greatest bacchanalia in Burgundy. Along the route he discovers a new generation of winemakers who have rejected chemicals, additives, and technologically altered wines. His book charts an odyssey into this new world of French wine, a world of biodynamic winegrowing, herbal treatments, lunar cycles, and grape varieties long ago dismissed as difficult. Acelebration of the diversity that makes French wine more than a mere commodity, Camuto s work is a delightful look beyond the supermarket to the various flavors offered by the true vintners of France."
Synopsis
Robert V. Camutoand#8217;s interest in wine turned into a passion when he moved to France and began digging into local soils and cellars. Corkscrewed recounts Camutoand#8217;s journey through Franceand#8217;s myriad regionsand#8212;and how the journey brought about a profound change in everything he believed about wine.and#160;The world of great wines was once dominated by great Bordeaux chand#226;teaux. As those chand#226;teaux were bought up by moguls and international corporations, the heart of French winemaking moved into the realm of small producers, whose wines reflect the stunning diversity of regional environment, soil, and cultureand#8212;terroir. In this book we follow Camuto across France as he works harvesting grapes in Alsace, learns about wine and bombs in Corsica, and eats and drinks his way through the worldand#8217;s greatest bacchanalia in Burgundy. Along the route he discovers a new generation of winemakers who have rejected chemicals, additives, and technologically altered wines. His book charts an odyssey into this new world of French wine, a world of biodynamic winegrowing, herbal treatments, lunar cycles, and grape varieties long ago dismissed as and#8220;difficult.and#8221;and#160;Aand#160;celebration of the diversity that makes French wine more than a mere commodity, Camutoand#8217;s work is a delightful look beyond the supermarket to the various flavors offered by the true vintners of France.
About the Author
Robert V. Camuto has been a journalist for nearly thirty years. He is a regular contributor to the Wine Spectator and the Washington Post and his articles have appeared in many other magazines and newspapers. He and his family live in France.