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University of California Press

About the Book

An up-to-the-moment new edition of Jamie Goode’s celebrated wine science book.

A thoroughly revised and updated third edition of this essential and groundbreaking reference gives a comprehensive overview of one of the most fascinating, important, and controversial trends in the world of wine: the scientific and technological innovations that are now influencing how grapes are grown and how wine is made. Jamie Goode, an authority on wine science, details the key scientific developments relating to viticulture and enology, explains the practical application of science to techniques that are used around the world, and explores how these issues are affecting the quality, flavor, and perception of wine. The only complete and accessibly written resource available on the subject, The Science of Wine engagingly discusses a wide range of topics including terroir, the influence of soils on wine flavor, breeding new resistant grape varieties, the effects of climate change on grape growing, the role of yeasts and bacteria in winemaking, and much more. A must-have reference for a wide audience of students, winemakers, wine professionals, and general readers interested in the science of wine.

About the Author

Jamie Goode is a wine writer and lecturer. He has a national newspaper column, writes for many publications, and authors wineanorak.com, one of the top wine websites. His previous books include The Goode Guide to Wine, Flawless, Authentic Wine, and I Taste Red. He is based in London, UK.

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Table of Contents

Note on the third edition
Introduction: why wine science?

SECTION 1 IN THE VINEYARD
1 The biology of the grapevine
2 Terroir: how do soils and climate shape wines?
3 Soils and vines
4 Climate
5 Pruning, trellis systems, and canopy management
6 When things go wrong
7 Vine immunity and breeding for resistance

SECTION 2 IN THE WINERY
8 Yeasts and bacteria
9 Wine flavor chemistry
10 Phenolics
11 Extraction and maceration
12 Whole cluster and carbonic maceration
13 Sulfur dioxide
14 Wine faults
15 The evolution of élevage
16 Flotation and stabulation
17 The science of sweet wines
18 Individual differences
19 The future

Glossary of wine science words
Index

Reviews

"An immensely accessible book, written for the lay person."

Dean Tudor’s Gothic Epicures blog
"Over the course of his three editions, Goode has seriously honed his craft, creating a book about wine science that is wholly accessible and yet nerdy enough for those with more academic vinous perversions. An essential purchase for anyone with even a fleeting interest in what makes a wine smell and taste the way it does."
Good Food Revolution

"A great introduction to the scientific and technical innovations applied to grape-growing and winemaking. . . . About half the book is totally new or extensively re-written and updated to this third edition (published nine years after the second edition). . . .  An immensely accessible book, written for the lay person."

Dean Tudor’s Gothic Epicures blog
Praise for previous editions of The Science of Wine:

“Winemaking these days is a complicated process that cannot always be understood intuitively. Fortunately . . . The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass explains some of the terms that critics toss around. . . . Mr. Goode manages to make them lively and provocative."––Eric Asimov, New York Times

“A fantastic job presenting balanced, approachable yet technical essays on many of the major issues in winemaking and appreciation. . . . Goode’s readable prose makes even the most technical subjects accessible. For anyone interested in more than just drinking wine, this is a must-read.”––Wine Enthusiast

“An excellent reference work and, once you’re in, a very interesting read.”–– Decanter

“I learnt a humbling amount from Goode’s book.”––Jancis Robinson, Financial Times

“In a conversational style, Goode investigates every current major technical issue about wine and some philosophical ones as well.”––San Francisco Chronicle

“Thorough, fascinating, and comprehensive. . . . A perfect mix of science and humanity, not unlike wine itself.”––Gastronomica: Journal of Food & Culture

“The best book ever addressed to amateurs on the complicated, and these days sometimes contentious, technical aspects of wine. Jamie Goode is well informed, clear, simple, and lively. In fact, he sets a high standard so high that it would be hard to beat by a writer on any subject. ”––Art Of Eating