Burgundy: The Country, the Wines, the People

Wine writer Fried views Burgundy, long celebrated for its fine wine and food, as a special, mystical place. She captures the spirit of the region so well that readers will forgive the occasional awkward and exaggerated moments in her prose. Fried begins with a profile of Becky Wasserman, an American who has infiltrated the wine business in Burgundy; through her experiences the reader is introduced to the world of winemaking, from its history in the area and techniques of the trade to the personalities of local winemakers and merchants. The historical perspective is intriguing, and Fried's comparison of a wine-producing monastery of the Middle Ages and its contemporary offspring lends weight to the French maxim ""Plus ca change, plus la meme chose.'' This is enticing reading for the wine lover, Francophile or Burgundy-bound traveler. Photos not seen by PW. (June 3)