Women of the Vine

Foreword by Gina Gallo. Acknowledgments. Introduction. Part One: The Wine. 1. From Vine to Wine the Job of a Winemaker. Part Two: The Women. 2. Milla Handley: Winemaker, Handley Cellars . 3. Kristin Belair: Winemaker, Honig Vineyard and Winery . 4. Amelia Ceja: President and owner, Ceja Vineyards . 5. Andrea Immer Robinson: Master sommelier . 6. Gina Gallo: Winemaker, Gallo Family Vineyards . 7. Marketta Fourmeaux: Winemaker, Ch
teau Potelle Winery . 8. Heidi Peterson Barrett: Winemaker, Screaming Eagle and La Sirena . 9. Stephanie Browne: Founder of Divas Uncorked . 10. Merry Edwards: Winemaker, Merry Edwards Wines . 11. Kimberlee Nicholls: Winemaker, Markham Vineyards . 12. Stephanie Gallo: Director of marketing, Gallo Family Vineyards . 13. Ramona Nicholson: Owner, Nicholson Ranch Vineyards, and president of Napa/Sonoma chapter of Women for WineSense . 14. Dr. Ann Noble: Creator of the Wine Aroma Wheel, U.C. Davis professor emerita . 15. Paula Moschetti: Winemaker, Frog s Leap. 16. Lee Miyamura: Winemaker, Meridian Vineyards . 17. Michele Ostrove: Founder and editor in chief of Wine Adventure magazine . 18. Stephanie Putnam: Winemaker, Far Niente . 19. Leslie Sbrocco: Wine writer and author of Wine for Women. 20. Darice Spinelli: Winemaker, Nickel & Nickel . 21. Signe Zoller: Consultant, Zoller Wine Styling, and winemaker . Glossary of Wine Terms. Further Reading. Index.

DEBORAH BRENNER is a wine negotiant and owner of Women of the Vine Cellars, which is scheduled to release its first vintage in early 2007. She is also the founder and CEO of Shop 4 Charity, Inc. (www.shop4charity.com).

Brenner, a marketing executive-turned-wine label owner, presents wide-ranging interviews with 21 women involved in the wine industry, covering everything from the crush to the shoes to the perfect pregnancy timetable when working among the grapes. After a brief description of the winemaking process, Brenner offers detailed, quote-heavy profiles of award-winning winemakers like Heidi Peterson Barrett and Kristin Bedair, who pontificate on life as, in the words of winemaker Gina Gallo, "part farmer, part scientist, part chef, part CEO." Besides the success, there's plenty of angst and adversity--disappearing funds, gender discrimination, and family tragedy--to serve as inspiration to those in need of career advice. While most of the interviews are with winemakers from California, several are with afficionados such as Stephanie Browne, founder of Divas Uncorked, a wine group for women of color, and top industry scholar Dr. Ann Noble. Though Brenner's upbeat voice can veer into self-help speak, anyone who enjoys wine will find much to like in this collection, especially those laboring along "the journey from 'cellar rat' to renowned and respected winemaker." (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, November 27, 2006)