Italian Wine: The History, Regions, and Grapes of an Iconic Wine Country by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

Journey through all twenty regions of Italy to discover the grapes, terrain, and historical techniques that have influenced modern Italian winemaking in this accessible and stunning guide to Italian wines.

“A brilliant look into the past, present, and future of wine and food in Italy.”—Rajat Parr, owner-operator of Phelan Farm and author of Secrets of Sommeliers and The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste
 
From award-winning sommelier Shelley Lindgren, who has long been recognized (and now knighted!) for her promotion of lesser-known Italian wines, and acclaimed cookbook author Kate Leahy comes a user-friendly and charming guide to Italian wines two decades in the making. The dynamic storytelling duo takes you through a beautifully photographed and delightfully comprehensive journey to understand what Italian wine looks like today: the makers shaping the industry, the innovative ways farmers are adapting to climate change, and the history that paved the path for this current movement.

Travel vicariously through all twenty regions with Leahy and Lindgren and expand your palate beyond Chianti, Pinot Grigio, and Lambrusco. Immerse yourself in the untold stories of how ancient winemaking techniques, the shifts of power and the movement of families, and the terrain and climate have influenced modern Italian winemaking. The curiosity and passion Lindgren and Leahy have is infectious and inviting, and you’ll leave with a buzz and a richer understanding of the country’s wines.

Let Italian Wine be your in-depth and fun guide into this endlessly fascinating, diverse world of wine.

Praise

“A brilliant look into the past, present, and future of wine and food in Italy. The book portrays the deep culture of Italian tradition!”—Rajat Parr, owner-operator of Phelan Farm and author of Secrets of the Sommeliers and The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste

“A pioneering sommelier and restaurant owner, Shelley Lindgren has, for decades, been at the forefront of Italy’s evolving wine culture and an early champion of producers that have now become canon. Together with Kate Leahy, she has managed to distill deep knowledge of and clear passion for Italy into an indispensable, and approachable, guide to the producers, places, and culture that make Italy’s wines among the world’s greatest.”—Talia Baiocchi, editor in chief, Punch

“With Italian Wine, Lindgren and Leahy have managed the impossible—to celebrate and explain Italy’s rich and storied viticultural history while introducing us to those shaping its wines today. This visually stunning and extremely user-friendly book brings each region alive, honoring geography, winemakers, and culinary traditions from the North to the South, guiding us on a journey and informing us all the while. This book will sit on my counter at the ready for those times I want to escape to Italy, brush up on knowledge, or simply find inspiration for dinner.”—Jordan Salcito, award-winning sommelier, author, and founder of Drink RAMONA Organic Italian Spritzes

“Shelley Lindgren is positively, absolutely at the apex of America’s impassioned lovers of Italian wine. She has put in the time (decades), the kilometers in Italy (thousands), and has served for years some of the greatest glasses of Italian wines with stupendously good food at her restaurant. As an admiring Italian winegrower once said to me, ‘She knows all, my dear.’ It’s no surprise that Italian Wine is a rarity: a book about the most complicated, yet exhilarating, wine country in the world that conveys all of its excitement—but blows away all the fuss and bother. Really, you can’t ask for more or better than that.”—Matt Kramer, author of True Taste: The Seven Essential Wine Words

“For decades, Shelley has been a leading voice in the Italian wine revolution and an early advocate for indigenous varietals of Southern Italy. Her love for Italian wine has been a prophecy realized. Italian Wine, which breaks the vast landscape into regions and varietals, is a must-read for Italian wine veterans and newbies alike. Shelley and Kate present Italy in a straightforward and easy-to-read fashion. Shelley’s vast knowledge of Italian wine and immense passion come through on every page.”—Joe Bastianich, wine maker and restaurateur

Shelley Lindgren is the wine director and owner of San Francisco’s beloved Italian restaurant A16.She has received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Program; has received the Slow Wine Fair Award for Best Selection of Good, Clean, and Fair Italian Wine; and has been knighted by the Italian government, receiving the prestigious “Cavaliere dell’Ordine Della Stella Italia” (Dott.ssa) distinction for her professional dedication to Italian wine. Shelley’s work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Punch, San Francisco Chronicle, and many other publications. She served on the board of La Cocina, the Guild of Sommeliers, and Slide Ranch and is a member of Les Dames d’ Escoffier. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, two sons, and a border collie.

Kate Leahy is an author and coauthor of more than a dozen books, including Wine Style, Lavash, La Buvette, and Burma Superstar. Her work has been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, and Smithsonian Magazine. A former line cook turned writer, she lives in San Francisco with her partner and their corgi.