Ten counties, 280 wineries in the largest wine region in terms of acreage in the whole United States – that’s the Sierra Foothills. Barbara Keck’s second edition of the book, “Wineries of the Sierra Foothills: Risk-Takers & Rule-Breakers,” provides an affectionate, yet thorough, look at this region. The decomposed granitic soil of the Sierra Nevada provides a distinct terroir that is expressed in all wines from this region. Grape vines grown at elevations ranging from 800 to 3,000 feet wage a struggle with the elements that results in rich and elegant wines. The Gold Rush led to a vigorous wine scene that supplied miners with their daily dram, but Prohibition sadly resulted in a fading of those wineries until a 1960’s revival by pioneers of a different sort. Readers meet some of these iconic winemaking pioneers in the chapters of the book.Keck and photographer Johan Martin drove 3,400 miles to visit every one of the 10 Foothills’ counties and gathered compelling stories and hundreds of images. The final 170-page book contains 20 winemaker stories, plus original recipes that the winemaker families and friends created to pair with landmark wines. A directory of all 286 wineries is organized to make wine touring in the Foothills easy. “Finally, a book about the wines and winemakers of the Sierra Foothills,” noted Cyril Penn, Editor of Wine Business Monthly. “… A willingness to push boundaries by trying new things is one of the reasons the Sierra Foothills is one of the most exciting wine regions today.”“An enriching book that highlights the triumphs and struggles of starting a winery … this book is a great way to learn more about this special winemaking region,” said Dr. Liz Thach, MW, author “Call of the Vine,” Distinguished Professor of Wine & Management, Sonoma State University, Calif.“Risk-Takers & Rule-Breakers” is an apt subtitle for Barbara Keck's affectionate and concise "Wineries of the Sierra Foothills." … the region is home to a surprisingly broad and assured range of grape varieties and wine styles,” said Mike Dunne, Wine Writer, Wine Judge and Contributing Wine Columnist for The Sacramento Bee.To pre-order the print edition of “Wineries of the Sierra Foothills,” email books@tahoethisweek.com. Books will be shipped in July. Bulk orders are available for gifts, retailers and real estate offices. “Wineries of the Sierra Foothills” is published by Range of Light Media Group. Visit rangeoflightmedia.com or wineriesofthesierrafoothills.com. About the author
Barbara Keck has been writing about wines, with a particular love and orientation toward Sierra Foothills wineries, for many years. She was the wine columnist for The Tahoe Weekly magazine from 2009 to 2014. A longtime writer and journalist, Keck earned her MBA in Agribusiness and Marketing from Harvard Business School. After three decades as a marketing consultant to industry, she turned her attention to the wine business. Keck is a fervent advocate of wineries of the Sierra Foothills and appreciates the risk-taking required to create a winery anywhere. About Range of Light Media Group
Range of Light Media Group publishes local and regional books focused on the Sierra Nevada, as well as Tahoe Weekly and Tahoe Powder magazines, from its lakeside headquarters in Tahoe City, Calif. Contact books@tahoethisweek.com for details and bulk orders.