Cabernet: A Photographic Journey from Vine to Wine

Many wine connoisseurs consider the complex flavors of a fine cabernet sauvignon to be unmatched by any other variety, giving it a widely held reputation as the supreme accomplishment in the art of winemaking. To create such a richly textured wine takes more than excellent grapes; it requires an incredible level of dedication and skill in every stage of the process. To produce this handsome book, photographer Charles O'Rear followed cabernet harvests across four continents, chronicling the elaborate journey from vine to bottle. O'Rear is a photojournalist who uses his camera much as a writer wields a pen--to tell a story. His choice of subjects, composition, and settings are clearly influenced by his many years contributing to National Geographic magazine. Here he presents an interesting series of subtle and imaginative full-color photos that capture the essence of the unique people and age-old methods they utilize to conceive this world-renowned wine. The accompanying text is sparse yet informative, and the famous winemaker Robert Mondavi provides a brief forward as well. O'Rear reveals an obvious affection for the title subject: "I have been fascinated with wine for most of my life..." he writes. "Yet, I still marvel at the mysterious process that somehow transforms a cluster of grapes into a divine nectar...." His book offers an appealing look behind the scenes of a complex procedure that few people fully appreciate when they pull a cork. --George Laney