VINES IN THE SUN

The complete story of California vineyards, the different grapes grown and wines produced in different sections, written by an epicure and an authority, in informal style, rich in detail, almost lyrical at times. From the early Spanish missionaries to the present, here are stories of the men who developed California's wines; here are discussions of wine-making, soils, climate, temperature; descriptions of grapes and wines; the implications for the California vineyards of the Oriental Exclusion Act, the gold rush, prohibition, the depression. There's an anecdotal quality- and some drama- for a regional book with plus market in a somewhat specialized field.