Book excerpt: "This unusual book offers a wealth of information not only about traditional wine regions of the world, but also about many probably less familiar even to wine enthusiasts. Attention is given to China and Japan, and countries of the Southern Hemisphere - Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Argentina - are represented by vintage charts and for all these regions the value of grape varieties is exactingly reviewed in relation to soil and climate. Focusing on the hows, whys and wherefores of the geography of wine making, De Blij's book refers in some detail to the political, cultural and economic contexts - as well as to problems of climate and soil - in which viticulture and vinicultural decisions are made".--BOOKJACKET.