Reflections of a Vintner: Stories and Seasonal Wisdom from a Lifetime in Napa Valley

A must-read for wine lovers: In this updated edition, acclaimed California vintner Tor Kenward shares shares a lifetime of great wines, famous friends, deep knowledge, and insider insights.

Forewords by Robert M. Parker Jr. and Thomas Keller
New afterword by Karen MacNeil

Reflections of a Vintner recounts the lessons learned, relationships forged, and observations made from an insider’s nearly fifty-year journey through the burgeoning wine industry in Napa Valley. From the mid-seventies, when there were less than fifty wineries, to the present, with over eight hundred, Tor Kenward shares his recollections as the region became a world-class wine destination.

Following the calendar year, each chapter opens with the challenges and opportunities a winemaker faces that month--in the vineyard, winery, tasting room, and out on the road. In addition to the wine knowledge Kenward imparts, the vintner shares stories of his friendships with legends of the modern American food and wine scene, including Julia Child, André Tchelistcheff, Andy Beckstoffer, and Robert Mondavi, among others.

Kenward’s hard work as a vintner was recently acknowledged and celebrated. In the October 2021 Judgment of Napa, held forty-five years after the historic Judgement of Paris, TOR Cabernet was judged to be #1, outscoring legendary Bordeaux châteaux and Napa Valley and international peers by leading critics and sommeliers. TOR wines, coveted by connoisseurs worldwide, have earned over twenty 100-point scores, and still counting.

An iconic winemaker, Kenward has written, taught, and lectured on wine most of his adult life. What he is most often asked about are not facts or numbers about his wines, but the stories behind them. These are stories of inspiration and wisdom that shaped his journey. With Kenward’s impressive connection to Napa Valley and his legacy of creating inimitable wines, Reflections of a Vintner offers entertaining insights into an often intimidating and complex but highly enjoyable world.

Includes black-and-white illustrations

Tor Kenward is considered an industry icon after almost half a century on the front lines of Napa Valley’s wine industry. He founded TOR Wines in 2001, focusing on single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons that are highly prized by wine collectors around the world. From 1977 to 2001 he was instrumental in shaping Beringer Vineyard’s Private Reserve programs; was mentored by notable winemakers from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Napa Valley; and built wine and food programs with the help of Julia Child and Madeleine Kamman. TOR Wines recently took first place at the 2021 Judgment of Napa Tasting, beating out both domestic and international peers.

Robert M. Parker Jr. is a wine critic and the creator of the Wine Advocate newsletter as well as the revolutionary 100-point wine rating system. He has won countless awards, including two of France’s highest presidential honors. He is the author of many books, including Burgundy and Bordeaux, and lives in Maryland with his family.

Thomas Keller, the first and only American chef to hold multiple Michelin three-star ratings, is the most celebrated chef in the United States. Beginning with his legendary French Laundry, Keller has opened restaurants across the country, including Per Se, Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery, Ad Hoc, the Surf Club Restaurant, and La Calenda. Keller is also a bestselling author, with more than 1.5 million copies of his cookbooks in print.

Karen MacNeil has won numerous prestigious awards, including the James Beard award for Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year. TIME called her ＂America’s Missionary of the Vine,＂ and Karen has been named one of the ＂100 Most Influential People in Wine in the US.＂ She is the author of the award-winning book, The Wine Bible, which has sold more than a million copies.