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Пътят към Бургундия
"Пътят към Бургундия" е невероятната история на един американец, отдал се на бургундското вино и на новия си живот във Франция.
"Пътят към Бургундия" са вдъхновяващите мемоари на млад калифорниец, открил във виното от Бургундия страстта на живота си и заложил всичко, за да сбъдне съкровената си мечта – да прави голямо бургундско вино. Авторът на книгата, Рей Уокър, е собственик на микро винарната Maison Ilan в Бургундия, а вината му са съвършен израз на тероара и на неговата философия да бъде просто „пастир на виното“ и „не толкова винар, колкото природозащитник“.
Рей Уокър е на старта на самостоятелния си живот в Калифорния и го очаква сигурна кариера в сферата на финансите, докато не се появява страстта му към бургундското вино, историята му и всичко, свързано с него. Рей започва да прекарва часове над стари текстове за виноделието и класификациите на лозята в Бургундия, ненаситно изучава винарските техники, трудния френски език и неспирно мечтае да създаде вино от велики бургундски лозя.
Той напуска работата си и сигурността, и подкрепян морално от младата си съпруга, отива във Франция, за да прави свое вино – с оскъдни средства, ограничен запас от френски и почти никакъв опит като винар.
Зареден с решимост и с така наречения от французите joie de vivre или радост от живота, той се гмурва в изключителната история на лозята и винарските традиции в Бургундия и започва да прилага натрупаните знания и най-вече да проявява непоколебимия си характер и своето дълбоко уважение към винарската култура на този забележителен френски регион.
"Пътят към Бургундия" са вдъхновяващите мемоари на млад калифорниец, открил във виното от Бургундия страстта на живота си и заложил всичко, за да сбъдне съкровената си мечта – да прави голямо бургундско вино. Авторът на книгата, Рей Уокър, е собственик на микро винарната Maison Ilan в Бургундия, а вината му са съвършен израз на тероара и на неговата философия да бъде просто „пастир на виното“ и „не толкова винар, колкото природозащитник“.
Рей Уокър е на старта на самостоятелния си живот в Калифорния и го очаква сигурна кариера в сферата на финансите, докато не се появява страстта му към бургундското вино, историята му и всичко, свързано с него. Рей започва да прекарва часове над стари текстове за виноделието и класификациите на лозята в Бургундия, ненаситно изучава винарските техники, трудния френски език и неспирно мечтае да създаде вино от велики бургундски лозя.
Той напуска работата си и сигурността, и подкрепян морално от младата си съпруга, отива във Франция, за да прави свое вино – с оскъдни средства, ограничен запас от френски и почти никакъв опит като винар.
Зареден с решимост и с така наречения от французите joie de vivre или радост от живота, той се гмурва в изключителната история на лозята и винарските традиции в Бургундия и започва да прилага натрупаните знания и най-вече да проявява непоколебимия си характер и своето дълбоко уважение към винарската култура на този забележителен френски регион.
319 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
February 1, 2014
In reviewing Thorstein Veblen's Theory of the Leisure Class I told a story about sitting next to some very yuppified software developers while flying back to San Francisco, both of them spending their entire flight (or the best part of it- the other half was "layoffs, and rumors of layoffs") speaking about their second homes (and wineries!) in Spain. (And as well, with nary a word to acknowledge my own presence at the window seat!) Well, I read Mr. Walker's book, and I am completely impressed. Not by those Sun Microsystems droids and their ability to buy wineries! No- but more, people like Mr. Walker, indeed, someone after my own heart, to wit, that he left financial security and a "good job" to do exactly what he felt inside himself was the best thing he might do for himself- which was, to get into winemaking from the ground up. And in an extremely short amount of time, from making his initial decision, to working in the guts of a winery, cleaning vats, to making connections to people he'd need to meet in France, to buying his own grapes (and scoring real big on that one)- to working through the entire manufacturing process alone, for the best part- Mr. Walker went from a "nut with a dream" to a man producing some of the most acclaimed, currently, wines in the world. And you would not find those Sun Microsystems developers, necessarily, not the sort who would be too fond of getting wine deep in their cuticles nor scouring their flesh with the labor of the dirt, toil, and backbreaking harvest- nay, such debased gentility scorns true labor of any sort... even more do they scorn autodidactism. I would not presume so much. So-- this is really great book, whether you like wine or not, there is a great message in it, that if you really feel deep within the need to do something- and more if you believe that you will come out ahead by it all- then don't let your critics pull you down into the hole they're in. Go for it.
December 30, 2016
The story is about a young man in his twenties who drops out of two colleges and quits two promising jobs even before starting. (He was not a “finance guy”, but in training to be stock broker before he quit.) He decides his dream life is in Burgundy, France because he and his wife like to drink wine. Without any formal education of any kind, or job experience in wine making or any money, he goes to France, and with the help of one lucky break after another, he manages to do that. Initially the book sounds like someone realizing his dream but it is not. If you look at it closely what you see is someone putting some external things on a pedestal and trying to find an identity and self-esteem by associating himself with that, Burgundy. “…The New World wines just didn’t have the history, the language, and the culture that I’d learn to love. There are something larger at play in Burgundy. …It is religion, the grapes gospel, and their dearest principle.”) The tone of the book sounds like what the author’s co-worker called him: “Euro snob”. The author’s idea of learning French is watching French movies while sipping French wine, sitting on his living room couch all day, and he thinks he can replace education and expertise with trying too hard. Everything is so disorganized, irrational, and haphazard. After reading this book, I was wondering how someone who operates so compulsively and in a disorganized manner without any plans or organizational skills could stay in business very long, even if the business is making wine in one’s garage. (If you want to find out, check out the Internet for feedbacks of potential customers of his business.) The writing style and storytelling are well done, but the book has almost no content other than the author’s obsession about wine and Burgundy. I think the author would be better off writing a travel blog about the region instead of trying to make wine.
August 31, 2013
Not just another book about an American moving to France. This is a fast paced bio about someone who totally followed his passion. As an infrequent drinker, I felt I was finally able to understand the complexity of the flavors of wine from his descriptions of terroir and its grapes.
July 8, 2020
Nice book presenting the life of a wine lover who decides to go all in for his dream - making wine in Burgundy. Most of the times in the story the things just put in their exact places but that cannot take anything from the devotion and dedication of the main character. It can happen, if you want it so deadly. Also, the effect of his wife support should not be taken for granted. I think this is the imperative of that book.
February 1, 2014
This is a book for anyone who's ever known what he/she has to do in life, and then by golly, sets out and DOES it despite overwhelmingly masochistic odds.
Ok, it's also a book for those who enjoy wine.
And good food.
And travel. I was researching Burgundy while I was reading, which is always a good sign.
This book is not for wine snobs. Why not wine snobs? Because this is about the Burgundy side of the wine business. Not the all-praise-be to-the-mighty-Bordeaux.
Nope. Burgundy is apparently the blue collar, roll up your shirt sleeves and work your heart out country cousin to the upturned noses, city slicker, chateau-dwellers of Bordeaux. The comparative underdog. And since I'm a sucker for the underdog, I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written book.
Full disclosure: I never really thought much about Burgundy until I read this book. All I heard about in wine tastings was Bordeaux, Bordeaux, and more Bordeaux. But then the author brings up an excellent point. What if you don't like Bordeaux? What if you pretend to like it just because everyone else does and that's what you're supposed to do when you drink wine?
Thankfully for him (and for the readers), he decides he wants to drink what he likes, he falls in love with the Burgundy style of wine, and decides to chuck it all over in favor of moving to France and starting a vineyard there. So he's either a complete genius or completely certifiable considering the hoops he has to go through as a non-EU passport holder, to get his business started.
Aha moments, help from unexpected corners, a sociopathic partner trying to destroy the dream, and yes, a breakthrough success, make this one of the most enjoyable, fast reads I've encountered in a long time.
I only wish I could taste his wine.
Ok, it's also a book for those who enjoy wine.
And good food.
And travel. I was researching Burgundy while I was reading, which is always a good sign.
This book is not for wine snobs. Why not wine snobs? Because this is about the Burgundy side of the wine business. Not the all-praise-be to-the-mighty-Bordeaux.
Nope. Burgundy is apparently the blue collar, roll up your shirt sleeves and work your heart out country cousin to the upturned noses, city slicker, chateau-dwellers of Bordeaux. The comparative underdog. And since I'm a sucker for the underdog, I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written book.
Full disclosure: I never really thought much about Burgundy until I read this book. All I heard about in wine tastings was Bordeaux, Bordeaux, and more Bordeaux. But then the author brings up an excellent point. What if you don't like Bordeaux? What if you pretend to like it just because everyone else does and that's what you're supposed to do when you drink wine?
Thankfully for him (and for the readers), he decides he wants to drink what he likes, he falls in love with the Burgundy style of wine, and decides to chuck it all over in favor of moving to France and starting a vineyard there. So he's either a complete genius or completely certifiable considering the hoops he has to go through as a non-EU passport holder, to get his business started.
Aha moments, help from unexpected corners, a sociopathic partner trying to destroy the dream, and yes, a breakthrough success, make this one of the most enjoyable, fast reads I've encountered in a long time.
I only wish I could taste his wine.
June 10, 2014
"The Road to Burgundy" is the non-fiction story of one man who chooses to follow his passion wherever it leads him even if it leads him away from everything he knows. Armed with his family and a passion for amazing wines, Ray Walker tells his story of how he left a job he didn't care for and decided to become a winemaker in France. It's a great story for those who dream of getting away from the status quo and finding something that they are truly passionate about.
Stories like this always make me feel really hopeful. It's always so great to see someone find something that they really love and turn it into their life's work. Walker starts out knowing little to nothing about wine except that it is enjoyable to drink. After a trip abroad sparks him to learn about wine, Walker dives in head first and decides to learn everything he can about wine. When that's not enough, he decides that he needs to learn to make wine even if it means taking a huge leap of faith and jumping into an area that he has absolutely no experience with. I really liked the way that he told his story.
This was a very entertaining read! I really liked that on top of an interesting story, you also got a chance for some great armchair traveling. This book is a fairly quick read that kept me entertained all the way through!
Stories like this always make me feel really hopeful. It's always so great to see someone find something that they really love and turn it into their life's work. Walker starts out knowing little to nothing about wine except that it is enjoyable to drink. After a trip abroad sparks him to learn about wine, Walker dives in head first and decides to learn everything he can about wine. When that's not enough, he decides that he needs to learn to make wine even if it means taking a huge leap of faith and jumping into an area that he has absolutely no experience with. I really liked the way that he told his story.
This was a very entertaining read! I really liked that on top of an interesting story, you also got a chance for some great armchair traveling. This book is a fairly quick read that kept me entertained all the way through!
September 1, 2013
3.75 stars. A young American becomes obsessed with wine, then Burgundy wine, and reinvents himself and his life as he lucks out time and time again. Is he a hard worker? Absolutely, and he takes a lot of chances to get things to work out just the way he'd like them. It's reminiscent of other "I had a dream..." stories, but Ray is charming and never talks down to the reader when he's explaining how things work and why he feels the way that he does about things. It's a pleasant read with a happy ending, and I'm glad that Ray decided to share his story.
September 14, 2017
An arrogant, self-centered man with clueless ambition decides to go to Burgundy, France to begin his own winery. Three years prior, the guy was drinking American wine from a box. Wondering if parts of the story were left out of the book.
I couldn't connect with Ray Walker and further Google search on what happened after the book ends in 2013, only left further distaste for him.
I did enjoy, however, the humorous French characters he met along the way.
Not worth the read. If you are looking for a book about wine and an American in France, check out books by Peter Mayle.
I couldn't connect with Ray Walker and further Google search on what happened after the book ends in 2013, only left further distaste for him.
I did enjoy, however, the humorous French characters he met along the way.
Not worth the read. If you are looking for a book about wine and an American in France, check out books by Peter Mayle.
February 26, 2014
This book was engaging from start to finish. I only put it down when I had to. Normally a drinker of Alsatian and German Rieslings and Gewürztraminers, I stopped at the liquor store to procure a bottle of burgundy this morning. I sense a new interest rising....
February 23, 2014
I didn't finish as I had a hard time liking his tale. My greatest sympathy was with his wife.
September 21, 2018
"I didn't know what the hell Pinot was, but it sounded cool."
This line reflects the tone of the book: immature, not really curious, and irreverent in a trying-too-hard-to-sound-like-I'm-not-trying sort of way.
So besides the teenagerish presentation, this book is based on a strange premise. The guy has a mind-blowing wine experience in Italy, then goes back home and concentrates on trying to like Bordeaux wines from France. What? Why would someone do this?
Furthermore, the disingenuous way the author presents his lack of wine knowledge is strange. He's apparently bought a bunch of wine paraphernalia and 50 bottles of Bordeaux he can barely choke down, yet he doesn't know what Pinot is, what terroir is, how the French label their wines, or anything about classification levels.
And apparently, every stranger he meets becomes his best buddy.
This book, "sounded cool." But it I don't know "what the hell" I was reading.
This line reflects the tone of the book: immature, not really curious, and irreverent in a trying-too-hard-to-sound-like-I'm-not-trying sort of way.
So besides the teenagerish presentation, this book is based on a strange premise. The guy has a mind-blowing wine experience in Italy, then goes back home and concentrates on trying to like Bordeaux wines from France. What? Why would someone do this?
Furthermore, the disingenuous way the author presents his lack of wine knowledge is strange. He's apparently bought a bunch of wine paraphernalia and 50 bottles of Bordeaux he can barely choke down, yet he doesn't know what Pinot is, what terroir is, how the French label their wines, or anything about classification levels.
And apparently, every stranger he meets becomes his best buddy.
This book, "sounded cool." But it I don't know "what the hell" I was reading.
May 12, 2013
I was looking forward to reading the book. What could be more delightful than hearing a story about someone giving up his life to chase down a dream? And what dream could be better than living the fine life amongst wine makers, getting to experience the wonderful bounty of the fruits of the earth (especially in fermented form)? Unfortunately, the book didn't quite deliver. Every author, it must be noted, has a first novel. Sometimes the first novels are wonderful, sometimes not quite so much. This novel is a bit on the "clunky" side (not being an author myself, that's the best I can do by way of description). The book doesn't have that authentic feel... the author, a self-described wine dis-liker, appears to have been magically transformed to a oenophile by having some cheap bottles of wine in Italy. Those cheap bottles then effected a life transformation. Could it have happened that way? Sure, but it's not particularly believable or compelling. I'm not only a rather avid reader, but also something of a oenophile myself (and do take issue to the author's dismissal of Bordeaux wines, but I don't hold it against him. Burgundies can also be incredible wines). That having been said, the book still doesn't read true. The author shares his stories of late-night tastings, flying down the Route National on a vintage Peugeot bicycle with no brakes, and his journey to secure both the trust of his insular Burgundian neighbors and the region’s most coveted grapes while trying to capture the sunlight, the smell of the damp soil, and the taste of superlative wine. Unfortunately, the book fell short on these ambitions. Perhaps one needs to read the book with a bottle of wine next to them, and perhaps the bottle needs to have a significant dent made into it prior to the literary experience. I made the mistake of trying to read the book while sober; maybe at some point I'll go back and try it after partaking a significant amount of spirits (wine, or perhaps better yet, a good bottle of a single malt scotch; that might improve the readability of the oeuvre). Meanwhile, I wish the author luck with his wine-making (and will look for a bottle of his wine in my favorite liquor store). As an author, however, in my book he falls short, and he would be better server by continuing in his wine-making and leaving the literary pursuits to the experts. Sorry about that, Ray.
February 26, 2016
The narrative had a few holes in it, such that not everything was thoroughly explained and parts of the chronology were missing. But I'll chalk that up to the need for editing to keep the text succinct and entertaining.
The story truly is amazing. Ray Walker should not have been able to do what he did. It's an inspiring example of the power of obsession and what can happen if you tell lots of people about your dream and also work tenaciously to make it happen. Quite a few people helped him out generously; I wonder if that is more likely to happen in pursuits like wine where many people are passionate hobbyists rather than in more mundane career paths.
I love that he talks so much about the aromas of the wines. For me, the charms of many wines are more in the aroma than in the taste. Probably especially true of red Burgundy. It's also special for me that his first vintage was 2009; those were the first Burgundies I tasted, I tasted them young to begin with, and they were extraordinarily and voluptuously ripe when young. He even mentions the Burgundy I know best! (Clos des Epeneaux Pommard).
P.S. I also love that he reads the old classic wine texts from the 1800's in the original. :-)
The story truly is amazing. Ray Walker should not have been able to do what he did. It's an inspiring example of the power of obsession and what can happen if you tell lots of people about your dream and also work tenaciously to make it happen. Quite a few people helped him out generously; I wonder if that is more likely to happen in pursuits like wine where many people are passionate hobbyists rather than in more mundane career paths.
I love that he talks so much about the aromas of the wines. For me, the charms of many wines are more in the aroma than in the taste. Probably especially true of red Burgundy. It's also special for me that his first vintage was 2009; those were the first Burgundies I tasted, I tasted them young to begin with, and they were extraordinarily and voluptuously ripe when young. He even mentions the Burgundy I know best! (Clos des Epeneaux Pommard).
P.S. I also love that he reads the old classic wine texts from the 1800's in the original. :-)
March 16, 2016
Ray Walker didn’t even like wine until he took a sip of a startlingly amazing wine in Italy. He was hooked. He single-mindedly began a quest to learn everything he could about wine. And, against the advice of everyone who knew anything about wine, he decided, after reading books about wines and tasting wines and serving a short apprenticeship to a winemaker, to throw his family’s life savings into an attempt to make his own wine. In France. Though he’d never made wine before. And though he is an American. And though he and his wife had just started their family in the San Francisco Bay area. And though he knew almost no one in France. And though he spoke very little French.
A fairy tale of a story. It will inspire you, I think, to go after your dreams, even when you don’t have all the credentials others might expect of you.
Caution: it’s not a beautifully written story; Walker’s confidence extends past winemaking-without-experience into writing-a-book-without-experience (and even into taking-a-photograph-for-the-cover-of-your-book-without-experience). But it’s Walker’s enthusiasm and energy and amazing American can-do-it spirit that carry you through the story.
A fairy tale of a story. It will inspire you, I think, to go after your dreams, even when you don’t have all the credentials others might expect of you.
Caution: it’s not a beautifully written story; Walker’s confidence extends past winemaking-without-experience into writing-a-book-without-experience (and even into taking-a-photograph-for-the-cover-of-your-book-without-experience). But it’s Walker’s enthusiasm and energy and amazing American can-do-it spirit that carry you through the story.
December 1, 2013
This was a sweet, if somewhat forced book, about an Oakland man who becomes the first American to make wine with the difficult- to- procure Chambertin grapes in Burgundy. I say forced because Ray Walker seems to have been blessed with tremendous luck, yet he draws out the narrative by writing about all the "obstacles" he has to overcome to move to France, secure the grapes, find a wine cellar, and make the wine. He wasn't entirely successful in building narrative tension that way. I was impressed, though, by his insistence on making the purest, least manipulated wine possible. I also learned a great deal about Burgundy and wine making in France.
May 31, 2015
Dreams can come true and this is proof.
My interest in this book was twofold. I love Pinot Noir and wanted to work at a winery in emerging Oregon which takes Pinot Noir very seriously. I was a sommelier in Florida and moved across the country to pursue my dream in 2006. It all worked out and I was at the winery for 5 years . I still love Pinot Noir and the challenges Ray Walker faced were very similar to challenges I faced in working directly in the wine industry. I thrived and so has he all thanks to perseverance and talent. The book documents his drive and hard work. Salut! And congratulations to all those who dream big and succeed.
My interest in this book was twofold. I love Pinot Noir and wanted to work at a winery in emerging Oregon which takes Pinot Noir very seriously. I was a sommelier in Florida and moved across the country to pursue my dream in 2006. It all worked out and I was at the winery for 5 years . I still love Pinot Noir and the challenges Ray Walker faced were very similar to challenges I faced in working directly in the wine industry. I thrived and so has he all thanks to perseverance and talent. The book documents his drive and hard work. Salut! And congratulations to all those who dream big and succeed.
July 28, 2014
It was written okay. But the author is so contemptible I can't give him more than one star.
Despite saying, at least once every few pages, how important his family is to them, and he wants to take care of them, he also says, on just about every page (well, not quite, but it seems like it), how important HIS OWN happniness is, and how he'll do whatever it takes to be happy: including quitting his job with no prospects lined up, going into enormous debt, and seeming to rely on kind-hearted samaritans to save him over and over and over.
the guy is pathetic.
Despite saying, at least once every few pages, how important his family is to them, and he wants to take care of them, he also says, on just about every page (well, not quite, but it seems like it), how important HIS OWN happniness is, and how he'll do whatever it takes to be happy: including quitting his job with no prospects lined up, going into enormous debt, and seeming to rely on kind-hearted samaritans to save him over and over and over.
the guy is pathetic.
August 27, 2017
Ooops! It turns out Mr. Walker may not be all he claimed to be. His wine company seems to be out of business and a lot of people in France claim they are owed money, or wine, or both! He and his wife, the long-suffering Christine, are now divorced. Breezy, but pretentious, memoir about how a man who doesn't even drink wine evolves into a man passionate about Burgundy and follows his dream of becoming a winemaker.
April 1, 2015
I kinda hate Ray Walker. He's the kind of guy that wants to skip ahead of the line. He's the kind of hard-headed guy we all roll our eyes at.
I have to give him credit--his ridiculous idea seems to have worked. But that doesn't mean I have to like him. Or his process.
Sadly the narrator's American French accent made me wanna punch him in the face.
So. That's my review.
I have to give him credit--his ridiculous idea seems to have worked. But that doesn't mean I have to like him. Or his process.
Sadly the narrator's American French accent made me wanna punch him in the face.
So. That's my review.
February 4, 2014
I enjoyed this story of Ray Walker following his passion for burgundy wine and moving to France to live his dream. His writing is not perfect but I learned a lot about the Burgundy region of France and enjoyed is journey.
February 3, 2014
Liked this book, though a bit heavy on the wine science etc. a terrific success story as well as an amazing example of the giving nature of love. And faith in oneself!
January 23, 2015
Note to self: the narrator of this audiobook is annoying to listen to (Sean Crisden)
May 23, 2017
This should be regarded as self-promoting fiction.
November 24, 2018
I really enjoy stories about those who leave the corporate grind to follow their dreams-especially when it involves travelling to far away lands. This book certainly contained that. And I learned a lot about wine, and the process of making wine. The authors descriptions really caught my attention-in one part of the story he mentioned that opening up an old bottle of wine was "the closest thing to time travel".
Yet this book seemed to raise more questions than it answered. The author/protagonist didn't have much experience in the corporate world. He dropped out of college, and then left the Merrill Lynch training program before even taking his securities exams. (which means Merrill Lynch paid him even though he didn't do anything for them). He never answered how he supported himself and his young family in the Bay Area, one of the most expensive places to live in the US. Also, he after working just one or two years at a winery, he was already more qualified than those who went to college for wine making, according to the book. And his newly acquired wine making skills went without a hitch. His first batches of wine came out perfectly. Additionally, while he mentioned he was able to convince others to give him money for the winery-I don't see how. He never mentioned a business plan, where he was going to sell his wine, etc.
Yet this book seemed to raise more questions than it answered. The author/protagonist didn't have much experience in the corporate world. He dropped out of college, and then left the Merrill Lynch training program before even taking his securities exams. (which means Merrill Lynch paid him even though he didn't do anything for them). He never answered how he supported himself and his young family in the Bay Area, one of the most expensive places to live in the US. Also, he after working just one or two years at a winery, he was already more qualified than those who went to college for wine making, according to the book. And his newly acquired wine making skills went without a hitch. His first batches of wine came out perfectly. Additionally, while he mentioned he was able to convince others to give him money for the winery-I don't see how. He never mentioned a business plan, where he was going to sell his wine, etc.
October 2, 2023
This book was okay. Pretty standard “move to France” memoir. The process of learning to make wine and establish a cuvée in Burgundy was interesting. I listened to this book on Audible- did not like the narrator’s voice, and his French accent was rough. Found Ray Walker to be more annoying than he probably really is because of the narrator’s voice. In his own words, he seems to be a little reckless, impulsive, and self-centered.
Walker concludes his tale with the assertion that dreams can come true if you really believe, work hard, and don’t take no for an answer. However, this assertion feels unauthentic. Walker seems to have a lot of luck and help going for him. Also, despite his claims that money is tight, he apparently has enough to fly back and forth to Europe quite a bit. He ends up in the perfect rental house with a cav large enough for his production needs, within his price range, that doesn’t need significant repairs… having read other “Moving to France” memoirs, it was hard to not be skeptical about Walker’s continuing luck.
Walker concludes his tale with the assertion that dreams can come true if you really believe, work hard, and don’t take no for an answer. However, this assertion feels unauthentic. Walker seems to have a lot of luck and help going for him. Also, despite his claims that money is tight, he apparently has enough to fly back and forth to Europe quite a bit. He ends up in the perfect rental house with a cav large enough for his production needs, within his price range, that doesn’t need significant repairs… having read other “Moving to France” memoirs, it was hard to not be skeptical about Walker’s continuing luck.
May 10, 2019
I don't drink wine (or any kind of alcohol, for that matter), but I love memoirs like this and have a lifelong obsession with France (and Burgundy after spending part of a summer taking a seminar on a farm in Burgundy). I also don't know anything about wine or have an interest in it, but this book gave me an appreciation for it and what goes into it. I honestly enjoyed this book more than expected considering how much of it was focused around the actual wine/wine making process. However, reading up on the author/his company since then has changed my views of him/his book and my rating reflects this. I also spent a lot of time sympathizing with his wife before finding out what happened afterwards. Despite that, I did also see that he is writing a follow up to this book which I would be interested to read but not to spend my own money on.
May 23, 2017
I stumbled on this book as I was looking for a guidebook for Bergundy/Dijon. Shockingly not many guidebooks on the area, but I'm thankful to have found this great read! This was the story of a person who dreamed of making wine and took some big gambles to do so. I loved the story. I really liked how grateful the author was for the people who helped him along the way. This story read to me like a big "thank you" to all the people who helped him. I loved hearing about Bergundy, learning a little about wine, and reading this feel-good book. I'd definitely recommend it.
November 11, 2021
I picked up this book at our local library’s book sale. The Road to Burgundy, The Unlikely Story of an American Making Wine and a New Life in France, is a memoir of Ray Walker’s journey from working in corporate finance to being a Burgundy wine maker.
I wrote a review of the book and my thoughts about it on my blog (https://bookloverslife.com/2021/11/04...), including what I found when I researched Walker's wine afterward.
I wrote a review of the book and my thoughts about it on my blog (https://bookloverslife.com/2021/11/04...), including what I found when I researched Walker's wine afterward.
January 30, 2023
Man, have you ever read a book and then dug deeper into the person's life only to find out it could totally be a shame? I give this three stars because I have to think about my actual experience reading the book which was enjoyable and well written. Having been a part of the industry for a long time I couldn't help reading a lot of this thinking, "Holy hell this guy is a complete idiot in the best way possible."
But finishing it and digging deeper into his life left me with a really bad taste in my mouth and made a lot of the book feel like self-aggrandizement.
But finishing it and digging deeper into his life left me with a really bad taste in my mouth and made a lot of the book feel like self-aggrandizement.
September 22, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this. I learned quite a bit about the process that occurs as a grape grows and becomes a wine. I also liked the journey Ray Walker made and the courage he and his wife had to chase their dream. For the wine lover, this is highly recommended.
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