Reflections of a Wine Merchant

About this book

A leading importer of limited-production wines of character and quality takes us on an intimate tour through family-owned vineyards in France and Italy and reflects upon the last three decades of controversy hype and change in the world of wine In the late 1970s Neal I. Rosenthal set out to learn everything he could about wine. Today he is one of the most successful importers of traditionally made wines produced by small family-owned estates in France and Italy. Rosenthal has immersed himself in the culture of Old World wine production working closely with his growers for two and sometimes three generations. He is one of the leading exponents of the concept of terroirthe notion that a particular vineyard site imparts distinct qualities of bouquet flavor and color to a wine. In Reflections of a Wine Merchant Rosenthal brings us into the cellars vineyards and homes of these vignerons and his delightful stories about his encounters relationships and explorationsand what he has learned along the waygive us an unequaled perspective on winemaking tradition and what threatens it today. Rosenthal was featured in the documentary film Mondovino and is one of the more outspoken figures against globalization homogenization and the critic-ization of the wine business. He was also a major subject in Lawrence Osbornes The Accidental Connoisseur. His is an important voice in defense of the individual and the artisanal and their contribution to our quality of life.