Book Review: One Thousand Vines: A New Way to Understand Wine

This translation of Pascaline Lepeltier’s One Thousand Vines is dense (the original French edition was released in 2022). Every chapter is its own college course part of a larger, self-taught degree in oenology, every sentence is worth re-reading and committing salient details to memory in the event they reappear when explaining concepts deeper into the book’s 300+ pages. This level of density is at once the book’s challenge and pleasure: It is worth the investment of time to pour a glass and approach in smaller units, but the journey can be intense and rigorous. Whether it is discussing the geology and topography of France, the process of premature oxidation, or the neurological reactions occurring in the brain while tasting wine, Lepeltier’s writing demands the utmost attention.

There is no stone left unturned in Lepeltier’s explorations, grouped into three major sections. The first section (Reading Vines) takes a look at the agriculture of wine, from the natural science behind grapes and vines to the ecosystem below ground. The second section (Reading Landscapes) divides its time between climatology, geology, and how terroir impacts landscape. The final section (Reading Wines) takes a deep dive into the process of creating wine, the molecular and anatomical dance between wine and our bodies taking place during a tasting, and how to best serve, store, and pair wines. And this is just a high-level overview of the book’s contents. There is much more here to explore, and it will leave even the most seasoned Level 3 sommelier with a newfound fact or concept to contemplate.

One Thousand Vines doesn’t seek out first-time, casual readers looking to learn wine basics, although there is merit in abandoning caution and diving into its deeper waters. Much like watching Simone Biles or Steph Curry deliver master classes at this summer’s Olympics, or Keith Jarrett performing an entirely improvised solo piano concert, Lepeltier’s expertise is addictive and admirable. The talents that made her an in-demand sommelier and lecturer are the same qualities that come through in her writing.

The book’s subtitle promises “A New Way to Understand Wine” and wastes zero time backing up such claims. Newcomers may find this book a bit daunting and a tough nut to crack, but the seasoned wine drinker will find this a delight from cover to cover, especially if a Master’s course in winemaking is out of reach.

A / $51 [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]

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