When Prohibition strikes, the vintners and grape growers must either sell grape juice or sell their land and wineries. Through friends Amerigo meets an attractive, adventurous young woman who becomes his wife, and so begins his family. After Prohibition is finally brought to an end, Amerigo, with the help of Mexican migrant farm workers develops the Immelhoff Winery into a small but fine winery. However nothing prepares him for the tragic death of his wife, and the challenges brought on by corporate takeover attempts and trying to adapt to new technology.

Night Wine does not follow the usual or well-known families in the Valley. It does, however, involve the multi-ethnic origins of the Napa Valley. Though the work is fiction, the development of the protagonist can be traced to Taddeo's father and an uncle, both immigrants who introduced him to the art of winemaking and the myriad characters who ferment, age, consume and sometimes even sell the elixir. Studying the smaller wineries in Santa Ynez and Paso Robles where the vintners were accessible and friendly gave him a good feeling for the early years. Researching the established wineries in Napa and Sonoma showed him how far the industry could go when the product is exceptional.

Night Wine is ultimately a story about the enormous influence diverse minorities have contributed to developing the California wine industry into the highly respected position it holds in the world today.

ForemostPress.com