Author Richard Mendelson has brought us a jewel: the story of how one prized grapevariety, Cabernet Sauvignon, transformed a sleepy California farm community into aworld-renowned wine-growing region and a showcase for the very best in Americanwine, culture, cuisine and luxury travel.

From the first plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon in the 19th Century to the surprisetriumph of Napa Valley wines at the fabled Judgment of Paris, Mendelson brings usintimate portraits of the pioneers, growers, artists, and craftsmen who turned the NapaValley into a shining symbol of American talent, ingenuity and business savvy. Thosefeatured include winemakers Robert Mondavi, Warren Winiarski, Bill Harlan, and manymore, plus their storied mentors, Charles Krug, Andre Tchelistcheff and Maynard Amerine.

And Mendelson is no outsider looking in. For the past three decades, he has lived thisstory from a unique perspective: as a Napa Valley winemaker, award-winning author,and as a leading attorney and advocate who has helped shape and protect the valley'svineyards and its future. Richard's book is already being hailed as one of the finest booksever written about American wine and the pioneering role of the Napa Valley.

To showcase the beauty and importance of the story, Cabernet Sauvignon featuresexquisite design and photography, plus a wealth of historical portraits, maps, andlithographs, making the book a treasured keepsake for wine lovers and for anyoneinterested in one of the most compelling chapters in modern American history.