Modern Methods of Plant Analysis When the handbook Modern Methods of Plant Analysis was first introduced in 1954 the considerations were: 1. the dependence of scientific progress in biology on the improvement of existing and the introduction of new methods; 2. the difficulty in finding many new analytical methods in specialized journals which are normally not accessible to experimental plant biologists; 3. the fact that in the methods sections of papers the description of methods is frequently so compact, or even sometimes so incomplete that it is difficult to reproduce experiments. These considerations still stand today. The series was highly successful, seven volumes appearing between 1956 and 1964. Since there is still today a demand for the old series, the publisher has decided to resume publication of Modern Methods of Plant Analysis. It is hoped that the New Series will be just as acceptable to those working in plant sciences and related fields as the early volumes undoubtedly were. It is difficult to single out the major reasons for success of any publication, but we believe that the methods published in the first series were up-to-date at the time and presented in a way that made description, as applied to plant material, complete in itself with little need to consult other publications. Contributing authors have attempted to follow these guidelines in this New Series of volumes.

This text is designed to acquaint the reader with the commonly used procedures of juice and wine analysis as they are generally practiced in the industry, and as they are taught in the Department of Enology at California State University, Fresno. It is assumed that the reader has a basic preparation in the fields of chemistry and microbiology. In developing material for this text, the authors have emphasized analyses as they would be carried out in a production laboratory. Realizing that different laboratories have different analytical capabilities, personnel as well as equip ment, we have in many instances provided several different approaches to the same analysis. Throughout this book we have attempted to give special attention to practical considerations and the importance of these analyses in the total spectrum of winery operations. We hope the book's format will satisfy the inter ests oflaboratory personnel as well as winemakers. The process of making wine involves a series of concerns for the winemaker and staff of a winery. The first concerns are viticultural. Upon arrival of the fruit, its quality is assessed, grapes are processed and fermentation is begun. Almost immediately, and in many instances simultaneously, chemical and microbiological stability of the young and/or aging wine become important. Finally, problems do occur on occasion, and a number of what may be consid ered remedial techniques can be employed to produce an acceptable product.

The only reporter present at the mythic Paris Tasting of 1976 for the first time introduces the eccentric American winemakers and records the tremendous aftershocks of this historic event that changed forever the world of wine. The Paris Tasting of 1976 will forever be remembered as the landmark event that transformed the wine industry. At this legendary contest—a blind tasting—a panel of top French wine experts shocked the industry by choosing unknown California wines over France’s best. George M. Taber, the only reporter present, recounts this seminal contest and its far-reaching effects, focusing on three gifted unknowns behind the winning wines: a college lecturer, a real estate lawyer, and a Yugoslavian immigrant. With unique access to the main players and a contagious passion for his subject, Taber renders this historic event and its tremendous aftershocks—repositioning the industry and sparking a golden age for viticulture across the globe. With an eclectic cast of characters and magnificent settings, Judgment of Paris is an illuminating tale and a story of the entrepreneurial spirit of the new world conquering the old.

A leading importer of limited-production wines of character and quality takes us on an intimate tour through family-owned vineyards in France and Italy and reflects upon the last three decades of controversy, hype, and change in the world of wine In the late 1970s, Neal I. Rosenthal set out to learn everything he could about wine. Today, he is one of the most successful importers of traditionally made wines produced by small family-owned estates in France and Italy. Rosenthal has immersed himself in the culture of Old World wine production, working closely with his growers for two and sometimes three generations. He is one of the leading exponents of the concept of "terroir"—the notion that a particular vineyard site imparts distinct qualities of bouquet, flavor, and color to a wine. In Reflections of a Wine Merchant, Rosenthal brings us into the cellars, vineyards, and homes of these vignerons, and his delightful stories about his encounters, relationships, and explorations—and what he has learned along the way—give us an unequaled perspective on winemaking tradition and what threatens it today. Rosenthal was featured in the documentary film Mondovino and is one of the more outspoken figures against globalization, homogenization, and the "critic-ization" of the wine business. He was also a major subject in Lawrence Osborne's The Accidental Connoisseur. His is an important voice in defense of the individual and the artisanal, and their contribution to our quality of life.

Winemaking as a form of food preseIVation is as old as civilization. Wine has been an integral component of people's daily diet since its discovery and has also played an important role in the development of society, reli gion, and culture. We are currently drinking the best wines ever produced. We are able to do this because of our increased understanding of grape growing, biochemistry and microbiology of fermentation, our use of ad vanced technology in production, and our ability to measure the various major and minor components that comprise this fascinating beverage. Historically, winemakers succeeded with slow but gradual improvements brought about by combinations of folklore, obseIVation, and luck. How ever, they also had monumental failures resulting in the necessity to dis pose of wine or convert it into distilled spirits or vinegar. It was assumed that even the most marginally drinkable wines could be marketed. This is not the case for modern producers. The costs of grapes, the technology used in production, oak barrels, corks, bottling equipment, etc. , have in creased dramatically and continue to rise. Consumers are now accustomed to supplies of inexpensive and high-quality varietals and blends; they con tinue to demand better. Modern winemakers now rely on basic science and xvi Preface xvii the systematic application of their art to produce products pleasing to the increasingly knowledgeable consumer base that enjoys wine as part of its civilized society.