A Vineyard Odyssey: The Organic Fight to Save Wine from the Ravages of Nature

Armed with little more than good intentions, husband and wife John and Deb Kiger said goodbye to corporate life and set about turning their four acres of meadow into a vineyard in 2002. Like many before them who had leapt before they looked, the Kigers soon discovered the prospect to involve much more work and complication than they had imagined, as they were soon forced to abandon the romance of owning a vineyard and roll up their sleeves, battling fungus and mildew that continually threatened their yield. It's a drop in a near-endless tide of memoirs written by folks who left Big Business in order to get their hands dirty; this time focused on viniculture, made even more complicated by the owners' desire to produce wine as organically as possible. There are pleasant digressions, but all roads lead to fungus as Kiger recounts the various methods he employed in an effort to get the agricultural upper hand. Those interested in the logistics of vineyard operations and advocates of green farming will find Kiger's experience to be insightful, but wine lovers looking for a romantic tale of rolling fields, full glasses, and warm sunsets will find the glass half full. (June)