Book excerpt: Abstract: An historical and current encyclopedic view of wine growing and wine making for hobbyists and connoisseurs alike covers wine production in North America over the past 400 years, and the great American wines of the past and present. The text is organized according to the various wine-producing regions throughout the US, ranging from the Finger Lakes of New York and the middle Atlantic states to Napa Valley and Southern California. Ancillary topics include the wines of Canada and Mexico, wines from "varietal grapes", hobbyists and small wineries, and a glossary of wine terms. A wine map of the US and maps of the vineyard district of various states, Canada, and Mexico, are appended.