Jeff Cox: From Vines to Wines: The Complete Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Your Own Wine Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA, 2015, 253 pp., ISBN 978-612124384, $18.95.

clear. Fortunately, the author does mention that “wines grown in close proximity on different soil types have more in common than those grown far away but on the same soils.” Third, while the author’s command of the French language is superb and his use of French terms to describe winemaking, grape growing, and terroir-related items aids in developing a sense of place for the reader, he occasionally does not define terms in the text or glossary. Examples of such terms include “sans souffre,” “agriculture raisonne,” and “cahier des charges.” Fourth, while the recommendations of wine producers and negociants made in the book are sound, a few important producers may have been omitted. I searched the inventories of one large U.S. and one small regional (mid-Atlantic) wine retailer to ascertain the number of Rhône wine producers (or negotiants) in their inventories that were referenced in this book. Forty of the 100 wines of the large retailer and two of the 8 wines of the small retailer inventories were referenced, but several wines in the retailers’ inventories that have received high ratings from acclaimed experts were not included in the book. Fifth and finally, sometimes the descriptions of wines were beyond my ability to interpret them. For example, descriptors used for a Hermitage wine mention a nose of “hung game, forest floor, noble woods and a whiff of woodsmoke and firewood.” And “a mature Hermitage exhales the breath of Smaug.” (Perhaps Tolkien would be amused, but I am befuddled.) These minor criticisms notwithstanding, this book provides a truly enjoyable and in-depth immersion into the Rhône Valley and its wines. Wines of the Rhône by Matt Walls will be a welcome addition to any wine library.