The Winemaker – by Noah Gordon – independent book review – Historical Fiction (Spain)

Must be interested in winemaking to completely enjoy this book. I’m not. Awarded three stars on Goodreads.

Noah Gordon’s novel tells the story of Josep, son of a vintner in a small Catalonian village in the 1880s, who, as a second son, has few prospects. When a military recruiter comes to town, Josep and his friends are put through a strange training regime that turns out to be not what they expected, sending Josep to France to hide for some years. While there, he learns a lot about making French wine.When he is finally able to return home, he can’t let go of his dream of making a good Spanish wine, instead of simply following his father’s pattern of selling grapes to make vinegar. He applies his knowledge, taps into an entrepreneurial core, and faces lots of hardships.

If you’re interested in learning a lot about vineyard cultivation, this book is for you. If not, read Noah Gordon’s THE PHYSICIAN which I found much more interesting and engrossing.