Wine Makers Worry About Soil, Climate, Rot, Female Vintners and China

When I started reading Steve Heimoff's new book, with the oxymoronic title New Classic Wine makers of California, I was prepared for a tough slog through twenty six conversations of winespeak. Instead I came away amazed by the breadth of opinion among men and women for whom making wine is strictly business.
 
Heimoff, West Coast editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine, warns that after the success of Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina in wedging mightily and quickly into the market, "we have recently heard reports of a massive wine industry in the making in, of all places, China. When these wines hit the market, duck: the grape and wine market will have to make serious adjustments."

Debates rage within the industry about high alcohol levels, pricing, the global market, promotion, public relations and selling.

They worry about soil, climate, rot, fungus and the same things tomato and apple farmers lose sleep over.