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Wine Books: Jacqueline Friedrich

Jacqueline Friedrich is an American journalist who lived in the Loire for seven years.

A Wine & Food Guide to the Loire (1996)
Jacqueline Friedrich
Available from Amazon
1-8573-2371-8

This book is the product of Jacqueline Friedrich’s stay in the Loire Valley, during which she did a little wine judging, including for the Guide Hachette, although it’s clear a lot of her time was employed visiting over 600 of the Loire’s vignerons. Friedrich writes very well, commencing with an appealing although brief introductory chapter, detailing the regions’ climate, soil, grapes and so on, as well as some comments on local appellation regulations. The bulk of the book, however, is given over to details of her winery visits, tasting the wines and rating the producers. She deals with the different regions of the Valley using a fairly standard, common-sense approach, starting with the Nantais, moving through Anjou, Saumur, Touraine, the Sancerrois to her final stop-off, the little known country wines of the Auvergne. Friedrich has clearly attempted to get under the skin of the local vignerons, and I think she has succeeded. Eloquent accounts of the producers themselves, their attitudes and practices, are accompanied by notes on some of the wines she has tasted whilst visiting them. She rates the producers in a somewhat Parkeresque fashion, according them outstanding, excellent, highly recommended and recommended status as she deems appropriate. Interestingly, however, she also makes note of domaines to watch, as well as those that she considers to be appellation leaders. In summary this format seems to work well, and I consider this a most useful guide to a fine yet sometimes neglected region of France.

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