Reflections of a Wine Merchant

A purveyor of fine wines takes readers on a guided tour of the wine industry in this biography—“A warm, personal, eloquent celebration of the people and places where tradition survives” (The New York TimesBook Review).

“There have been many books about wine, but rarely one as absorbing and as wise as this one. Rosenthal tells of his travels in France and Italy, of his friendships with wine growers, and of his own growing understanding of this ancient business that combines both art and commerce. He writes so well, one can taste the wines he loves.” —Charles Simic, US Poet Laureate

In the late 1970s, Neal I. Rosenthal set out to learn everything he could about wine. He opened a small wine shop and, shortly thereafter, a wine-importing business. Today he is one of the most successful importers of traditionally made wines crafted at limited-production, family-owned vineyards in France and Italy.

In Reflections of a Wine Merchant, Rosenthal shares the experience of learning his trade: the friendships, the adventures, and the challenges of convincing others to love what he loves. He introduces us to his growers, steeped for generations in the lore of their land, who make wines of pronounced character using time-honored and “unscientific” methods of grape growing and vinification. We travel with Rosenthal into their homes, cellars, vineyards, and family circles, and listen to them muse on their work and speak of their traditions. Among this exceptional range of personalities, we meet the formidable Madame Jeanne Ferret in the Mâconnais, the now celebrated Giampiero and Paolo Bea of Umbria, the amiable Luigi Ferrando in the foothills of the Alps, the humble aristocrat Cyrille Portalis at his ancestral Château Pradeaux on the Mediterranean, and many others. Although each comes from a different background, geography, and history, all are passionate about their land and vocation and are colorfully opinionated in their views. We learn how they unveil the subtleties of their individual terroir and discover the mystery of how their wines express not only where they are produced but also the personalities and principles behind them.

With Rosenthal as our guide, we voyage through the great wine regions of France and Italy, parse the peculiar mind-set of the Burgundians, view the dramatic shifts in Bordeaux, and confront the obstacles posed by globalized marketing and the media’s blunt-edged ratings systems. We witness, from his unique perspective, three decades of remarkable controversy, hype, and change. Above all, we share the joys—and pitfalls—for growers and merchants alike of an often enviable business that goes back to the beginnings of civilization and that, as Rosenthal deftly explains, can connect us with our deepest values.