“A Vineyard in Napa is a delightful, easy read that successfully relates the trials and tribulations of a family winery in the Napa Valley while at the same time documenting the many changes—commercial, environmental, technical and legal—affecting California vineyards and wineries over a 40 year period. The evolution and unqualified success of Shafer Vineyards over these four decades parallels the growth and transformation of the Napa Valley into one of the world’s most highly respected wine growing areas. While the book does not portend to be explain the technical details of this transformation, its easy going prose deceptively does just that. A Vineyard in Napa is the best told story of a California family winery I’ve yet read.”
“If you're looking for an immersive read, or a noble gift, it's a page-turner to love. . . . It's a must-read for anyone who likes a good family story as well as anyone interested in how the Napa Valley came to such prominence in the wine world in such a short time.”
“John Shafer and his family brought a surprisingly haphazard and improvisational approach to learning the winery trade, but Jay McInerney finds that the results are some of Napa Valley's finest wines. . . . While the Shafer story illustrates how much Napa winemakers have learned and how far they have come, it also illustrates the inexplicable mystery of great wine, how sometimes serendipity and intuition trump experience and technical expertise.”
“Shafer loyalists will find a warm read.”
“The last 40 years at the California wine industry’s heart, seen through a pioneering vintner’s eyes.”
“The story of the Shafer family of Shafer Vineyards -- as told by Doug Shafer and his collaborator, Andy Demsky -- is funny, inspiring and instructive. . . . Doug Shafer places the family's journey in historical context, offering a window into the development of the Napa Valley over the past 40 years, from a bucolic time when vintners drove beat-up pickups, to the touristic, flashy, well-heeled place it is today. And in detailing some of the day-to-day tasks that confront any vintner, Shafer also educates the readers about everything from bugs to Brettanomyces.”
“This true-life story of one of the great success stories of the American wine industry focuses on John Shafer, who made a midlife change in the early 1970s to start a winery without having any practical experience. His son, Doug, and co-author Andy Demsky tell how Shafer Vineyards evolved into one of the world's great wineries.”
“For more intimate reading, check out "A Vineyard in Napa" ($29.95, University of California Press), in which Doug Shafer and Andy Demsky recount how Doug's father, John, left a cushy Chicago job at age 47 and forged one of America's very best wineries. (Wine Spectator named the 2008 Shafer Relentless its wine of the year last week.) Full disclosure: I have met all three men and winemaker Elias Fernandez and admire them mightily. You will, too, after soaking in this captivating saga.”
"Without ever setting out to teach, it has lessons for us all."
“Trends in winemaking come and go but, over the past 40 years, Shafer Vineyards has delivered consistent, high-quality wines regardless of the trends. A Vineyard in Napa provides an inside look at how wine history is made.” –Tom Colicchio
“We all have our unique stories as to how we came to the Napa Valleyand chose to call it home. But the Shafer family history is a truly compelling tale and their journey is equally as inspiring. One doesn’t have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate John Shafer’s story. His son Doug makes it clear why Shafer Vineyards has become one of the iconic wineries in the Valley—and in the world—today.” –Thomas Keller
“Wine at its greatest is not a beverage—it’s a story. This is the story of the making of an American First Growth. From broken-down tractor to breaking into the highest echelons of world-class wine, Doug Shafer takes us on his family’s journey. It is story no American wine lover will want to miss.” –Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible
