General Viticulture

The blurb for this textbook on viticulture touted that it was now updated and revised. The original was from 1962 and the 'new' revision is from 1974. This book is also limited in scope to growing grapes in California, focuses on large scale industrial growers, and is illustrated by black and white photos. Having griped about all this, the book is still nevertheless useful in terms of its detailed explanation of grape stock, stages of growth, pruning, trellis types, diseases, soil, irrigation, and fertilizing. It would be a terrific if the University of California press came out with a truly 'new' revision that recognized the changes to viticulture in the United States over the last THIRTY years. Even a non-professional who drinks much wine knows that the wine industry has grown beyond the borders of California and that it has been moving toward sustainability and organic farming of which there is barely a sentence in this book.

This is still a useful book but quite outdated. Basics are still valid but much has changed in vineyard practices over the last 40 years. Although the Amazon description says that it is a "new edition, updated throughout". That revision took place before Amazon was even a sparkle in Jeff Bezo's eye. Given its price, I suggest looking at some of the other books on vitaculture sold by Amazon.

How applicable this book is to you is largely dependent on what you use it for. If you are based in California, and are interested in table and raisin grapes as well as wine grapes, there is no better reference currently available. The majority of more current viticulture books focus solely on wine grapes. If that is your interest, you may have better luck elsewhere. However, raisin and table grapes are cultivated very differently than wine grapes, and this (while very outdated in terms of current varieties and trellises) is the best resource out there.

The book I was sent, is not an original print edition, but a poor quality copy. The photos are almost useless, and the printing of marginal notes gives it away as a cheap duplicate. I tried to post the comment about Berkeley Book Company, but my post has not been published.

the classic and still worth reading over and over. quick service

An excellent reference on Grapevines.

Packed with good information for someone wanting to start digging deep into viticulture, particularly California viticulture, but it was written decades ago.

Very in depth details on growing wine grapes. Would get five stars if it had a revision to update its 70's information to include modern hybrid varieties. Very glad I bought this book.