Vineyards

“Nosiness and the innocence of youth led me to examine the wine photography of the time and say, ‘Hell, I can do better than that,’” recalls veteran photographer Lyon in this lush compilation that spans his nearly 80-year career. A San Francisco native, Lyon’s earliest photographs from the 1940s—such as those of workers handling wooden boxes of grapes and a horse pulling a sled of grapes—were taken in nearby Napa and Sonoma valleys. His interests later brought him to Europe in the 1960s and ’70s, where he captured an impressive assortment of vineyards and winemakers, including the historical, wall-enclosed Chateau de Clos de Vougeot in France and a woman picking Riesling grapes above the German town of Urzig. This book also includes images of everyday life outside the vineyards, such as flower sellers at an outdoor market in Naples and Austrian farmers enjoying dumplings during a midday meal. Some of his later works include shots of grapes ripening amid Californian fog, wine cellars in Chile, and an aerial view of California’s Estancia Vineyards. Equally captivating are portraits of the wine workers, whether they’re older Frenchmen enjoying a drink at a bar or a young migrant mother posing with her children in Santa Clara valley. This striking volume will please wine fans, foodies, and travelers alike. [em](Nov.) [/em]