Champagne, Uncorked

Knowledgeable and meticulously researched...[Tardi] takes the reader through the whole process, from picking and pressing the grapes--the vendange--through the storing, tasting and blending of the wine to its bottling and aging...A colorful history of Champagne. -- Moira Hodgson, Wall Street Journal Tardi chronicles his time following a tense year in the life cycle of champagne, from harvest to bottling, at the renowned Krug house, expertly balancing his personal experiences with extensive historical research of the development and sophistication of champagne as well as the establishment of the Krug winery. Part memoir and part history, Tardi's love letter to champagne can inspire the reader to delve deeper into viticulture. --Booklist, Starred Review In Tardi's fabulous new book, he explains the history of the Champagne region and why the land produces the grapes it does...while weaving together a rich cultural overview of the sparkling elixir's wild rise to becoming the world's symbol of celebration. When people try [Krug] for the first time, they talk about it effusively like love-struck Romeos. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself. But first read Tardi's book. --San Antonio Express-News Champagne, Uncorked is a page-turner that offers up the wine's history, the characters who made it and, with appealing intimacy, those of the House of Krug from top to bottom. It is a must read for any Champagne lover and of course for 'Krugistes.' --Stephen Spurrier, consulting editor of Decanter Champagne, Uncorked packs an enormous amount of detail and complexity (historical, chemical, biological, emotional) into a rather small package--a fitting tribute to the nuance and complexity found in every glass of champagne Krug has produced...A fascinating and detailed history. --Shelf Awareness A fascinating account of the making of one of the world's great wines, and one that will thrill both novice and connoisseur alike. This is one of the best books to ever be written about champagne, and it should be on the reading list of anyone interested in wine. --Peter Liem, senior correspondent for Wine & Spirits and founder of Champagneguide.net Alan Tardi's background as a restaurateur, chef, and wine writer makes him uniquely qualified to write this exceptional book on Champagne. Throughout, he integrates the history of Champagne, the making of Champagne, along with the production of Krug's Grande Cuvee, one of the world's greatest Champagnes. Alan is a truly gifted writer, not only teaching us, but weaving a story that is fascinating and illuminating. --Ed McCarthy, author of Champagne For Dummies A profound history of the Krug family and the 2013 Grande Cuvee, skillfully interwoven with the story of Champagne from its beginnings in the post-Roman world of the Medieval monastic winemakers to the modern unsentimental world of mega groups and takeovers. Alan Tardi is a rarity in our impatient age--someone who writes clearly and beautifully, unafraid to be poetic when a great wine engages his emotions. Thoughtful and reflective, yet with a fine sense of the ridiculous, Alan is the ideal narrator to take us through the world of Champagne. --Michael Edwards, author of The Finest Wines of Champagne