by HANS AMBROSI
translated by Gavin Hamilton & Thom Pringle

If you plan to visit Germany’s beautiful wine country in person or take an imaginary trip there, you will find this book a valuable guide to the individual estates and their specialties. Wine technology is carefully explained, but Dr. Ambrosi’s descriptions will capture your imagination with stories of the estates and their monastic, aristocratic proprietors, the vineyards in their idyllic settings, the estate buildings, the castles, the mansions, the old cellars and the fine wines themselves.

This book stands out among wine books with its clear systematic presentation of a vast quantity of detailed information. When you decide to visit, you will know what to see, what to taste, and how to get there. The Germans have recently devised new standards for wines that could be used and understood by wine makers and consumers as well — information on the new German wine law, on the labels, the soil and terrain and grape varieties, and wine classifications. The reference section contains dictionaries of wine terms, lists of seminars, wine societies, and other useful addresses.

Whether or not you have ever been in a wine cellar, you will soon learn about your favorite wines, look up the estates where they were produced, and with pen-and-ink vignettes, maps, and reproductions of many labels, be able to imagine yourself visiting the picturesque estates, tasting the wines, and hearing the family histories of the great wine growers and vineyard owners.

A HASTINGS HOUSE CLASSICS BOOK
First published in 1976, this timeless classic has been once again made available as an exact reproduction of the original volume, now a collector’s treasure.