A History of Wine in America, Volume 2: From Prohibition to the Present

By Thomas Pinney

Book Overview

A History of Wine in America is the definitive account of winemaking in the United States, first as it was carried out under Prohibition, and then as it developed and spread to all fifty states after the repeal of Prohibition. Engagingly written, exhaustively researched, and rich in detail, this book describes how Prohibition devastated the wine industry, the conditions of renewal after Repeal, the various New Deal measures that affected wine, and the early markets and methods. Thomas Pinney goes on to examine the effects of World War II and how the troubled postwar years led to the great wine boom of the late 1960s, the spread of winegrowing to almost every state, and its continued expansion to the present day.

The history of wine in America is, in many ways, the history of America and of American enterprise in microcosm. Pinney's sweeping narrative comprises a lively cast of characters that includes politicians, bootleggers, entrepreneurs, growers, scientists, and visionaries. Pinney relates the development of winemaking in states such as New York and Ohio; its extension to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas, and other states; and its notable successes in California, Washington, and Oregon. He is the first to tell the complete and connected story of the rebirth of the wine industry in California, now one of the most successful winemaking regions in the world.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520241762
• ISBN13: 9780520241763
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 548 Pages
• Weight: 2.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.5" x 2.0" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Need a resource for that wine trivia game?

No book can ever come close to capturing all the details of history, let alone something as convoluted as the history of wine in America. But this tome (the second in the series) does about as good a job as one could hope for. It is meticulously researched and annotated, with the latter making up the last 100 pages or so of this 400+ page book. It reads fairly easily, for what it is. But it will not appeal to those not already interested in American wine and its history, as it is largely a collection of facts objectively told. A great reference book.

This is a marvelous, comprehensive book!

This book shows Mr. Pinney's knowledge and understanding of the complex history of wine. It is apparent that he put forth great amounts of energy in research. A wonderful book--one which anybody who appreciates wine will enjoy.