On California

"On California" is the book for the biggest California wine fan. It delves into the history of the Golden State. What grapes are found there, and how did they get there? What were the hopes, fears, and dreams of the 18th-century pioneers who first brought them? Phylloxera, Prohibition, the influence of the Pacific Ocean, and the advantages of being in a seismic hot zone.

Then how, on the whim of a modest English wine merchant, a simple blind tasting in 1976 turned the world's attention to the wines this extraordinary region created.

On California is about the people who made California wine great. The pioneers, the techies, the whiz kids, and the scientists, many of whom share their stories on the pages—some through precious archival material, others through their reflections in the midst of the pandemic in 2021.