Nick Wise has written a really great book about Celebrity Vineyards; one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading. His style, grace, and stories about Napa, Tuscany, and beyond, about superlative wines and extraordinary vintners, is very informative and parallels my own story… so much so that I immediately found that common bond and was drawn in. Accompanied by his new writing partner Linda Sunshine, this is one fascinating read.
- I’ve also – on this blog – written heavily about celebrities who have segued from one successful career to that of vintner.
- There are several differences between Nick’s book and my work, however:
- my celebs are all rock n’rollers
- I list their brands regardless of the fact that they’re absent landlords most of the time
- I’ve only scratched the surface with my stories…
- I have clients and opinions… he’s got hard facts
- i.e., no book deal, no financial support for my writings, no travel budget will do that….
- There are several differences between Nick’s book and my work, however:
- We’ve both been students of the wine business for the last 20 years.
- We both acknowledge Thomas Jefferson as the US’s father of viticulture; and have visited Jefferson’s Monticello, where it all began.
- We both prefer a joie de vivre style of wine writing, taking it away from technical to accessible.
- Today, wine belongs to the masses, not the socially elite.
- Elitism causes insecurities, when wine is not more than an everyday beverage today, given the plethora of world wide brands.
- Nick’s relationship with Linda Sunshine parallels mine with Katie Sunshine… My first born daughter and friend Katie Sunshine serves my editor, as Nick’s freind Linda does for him.
So, of course I was immediately charmed with this book, because it was so natural to identify with it, and so easy to read…
I especially enjoyed leaving the rockers behind (been there and done that) to fast forward into reading about Raymond Burr, the amazingly talented actor of my youth… Burr’s beloved Portugal matches my own passion for this delightful country with people who are also so relateable. Burr’s life as an actor, his loving partner Robert Benevides, who’s still running the vineyard, is so close to my own home. I didn’t even know that Raymond Burr Vineyards exists in Dry Creek Valley; this gave me inspiration to make the 20 minute trip to West Dry Creek Road… my own neighborhood… This is what you’d expect from a great book, right? To inform and inspire… It’s all there.
Nick Wise also makes me look at my rock and roll stories, questioning if I need to keep up with it all anymore, considering that most rockers are simply putting their names on a bottle of wine… just because they can, versus actually having caught the passion bug that Nick and I share.
Thanks, Nick and Linda for a very enjoyable read and a welcomed addition to my wine library! I highly recommend this book….
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