The Makers of American Wine: A Record of Two Hundred Years    by Thomas Pinney Order:  USA  Can University of California, 2012 (2012) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch This book provides an interesting account of American viticulture by discussing a number of people who made a difference in creating what that industry is today. While Robert Mondavi and Julio and Ernest Gallo are familiar to most wine enthusiasts, other individuals mentioned by the author are perhaps less well known. You may not be familiar with Jean Jacques Dufour, Nicholas Longworth, and George Husmann but they helped pave the way for the vintners who followed them. Many Californians have heard of Charles Kohler of Kohler and Frohling since he was instrumental in getting the state's wine to dinner tables throughout the country in the late 1800s. On the other hand, the odds are that the important contributions of Andrea Sharboro, Percy T. Morgan, and Paul Garrett are less well known. Some of the other wine luminaries mentioned by the author include Frank Schoonmaler (Almaden), Maynard Amerine (U.C. Davis), Dr. Konstantin Frank (Vinifera wines) and winemaker Cathy Corison. Besides these individuals, there are also chapters dedicated to two of the iconic families of the industry - Mondavi and the Gallo clan. Over 35 illustrations help flesh out the narrative and provide images of the principle personalities mentioned here. Even the most knowledgeable oenophile will find this an enlightening and entertaining read. Thomas Pinney's engaging style makes this a book to savor while, perhaps, enjoying a glass or two of your favorite wine. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews