Overview
In 1975 there were 125 wineries in eastern North America. By 2013 there were more than 2,400. How and why the eastern United States and Canada became a major wine region of the world is the subject of this history. Unlike winemakers in California with its Mediterranean climate, the pioneers who founded the industry after Prohibition-1933 in the United States and 1927 in Ontario-had to overcome natural obstacles such as subzero cold in winter and high humidity in the summer that favored diseases devastating to grapevines. Enologists and viticulturists at Eastern research stations began to find grapevine varieties that could survive in the East and make world-class wines. These pioneers were followed by an increasing number of dedicated growers and winemakers who fought in each of their states to get laws dating back to Prohibition changed so that an industry could begin. Hudson Cattell, a leading authority on the wines of the East, in this book presents a comprehensive history of the growth of the industry from Prohibition to today. He draws on extensive archival research and his more than thirty-five years as a wine journalist specializing in the grape and wine industry of the wines of eastern North America. The second section of the book adds detail to the history in the form of multiple appendixes that can be referred to time and again. Included here is information on the origin of grapes used for wine in the East, the crosses used in developing the French hybrids and other varieties, how the grapes were named, and the types of wines made in the East and when. Cattell also provides a state-by-state history of the earliest wineries that led the way.
Full Product Details
Author: Hudson Cattell
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Imprint: Cornell University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 17.80cm
, Height: 3.00cm
, Length: 25.40cm
Weight: 1.361kg
ISBN: 9780801451980
ISBN 10: 0801451981
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 28 January 2014
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
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Reviews
During the last several decades, wineries in the eastern region of the United States have become an increasingly important part of the American wine industry as quality has increased and cost has declined making them economically viable producers. Hudson Cattell tells the fascinating story of the development of the eastern segment of the American wine industry from repeal of Prohibition to the present, providing a captivating historical account of the economic, political, social, and environmental forces, as well as the people, that shaped it. This definitive volume on the history of North American wine is a must-read for anyone interested in the American wine industry. The detailed appendixes and extensive bibliography make it an invaluable reference book in the personal libraries of wine enthusiasts. James A. Thornton, Eastern Michigan University, author of American Wine Economics
<p> In Eastern North America, the biodiversity of ecosystems and the exponential growth of new generation vineyards and wineries makes this broad region unique in the world of wine. One can go on the Internet and search for wines made in any eastern American state or Canadian province. What you will not find in cyberspace, however, is the backstory of the incredibly difficult challenges social, political, scientific, and environmental faced by individuals who wanted to advance the business of growing table wine here. Hudson Cattell's book offers deep historical perspective and agricultural detail regarding the ongoing challenges facing eastern grape growers, wine makers, and wine sellers. Lucie Morton, internationally known viticulturist, ampelographer, and author of Winegrowing in Eastern America: An Illustrated Guide to Viticulture East of the Rockies
In Eastern North America, the biodiversity of ecosystems and the exponential growth of new generation vineyards and wineries makes this broad region unique in the world of wine. One can go on the Internet and search for wines made in any eastern American state or Canadian province. What you will not find in cyberspace, however, is the backstory of the incredibly difficult challenges social, political, scientific, and environmental faced by individuals who wanted to advance the business of growing table wine here. Hudson Cattell's book offers deep historical perspective and agricultural detail regarding the ongoing challenges facing eastern grape growers, wine makers, and wine sellers. Lucie Morton, internationally known viticulturist, ampelographer, and author of Winegrowing in Eastern America: An Illustrated Guide to Viticulture East of the Rockies
Author Information
Hudson Cattell cofounded and edited Wine East magazine for more than twenty-five years and continues to contribute a ""Wine East"" section to Wines & Vines. He is a partner of L & H Photojournalism in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and has written extensively on Eastern grapes and wines. His most recent book, written with Linda Jones McKee, is Pennsylvania Wine: A History.
