The cooler temps and shortening days here in the Pacific Northwest signal the harvest season is upon us and with it comes crush. While reading the updates on this year's harvest, I am reminded of Brian Doyle's excellent book, "The Grail: A Year Ambling & Shambling Through an Oregon Vinyard in Pursuit of the Best Pinot Noir Wine in the Whole Wild World". If you have ever been curious about what it's like to work in a vineyard and/or winery during crush, then this is the book to read.

In this wonderful account, Doyle shares the year he spent following Don Lange and his son, Jesse, of Lange Estate Winery and Vineyards located in Dundee, Oregon. He begins his story in late fall after crush, when the vineyards become dormant, but much work remains in the winery. Doyle then traces the trials and tribulations of the Lange father-son duo as they work through the winter, spring and summer, culminating in the fall harvest when crush is in full swing again.

Doyle's writing style lends well to the subject of wine, for he does an excellent job providing readers with useful metaphors and insightful thoughts on the larger context of grape growing and wine making. I liked his emphasis on how wine should be celebrated as part of a meal, which is in keeping with the Lange's approach to winemaking. The book is an entertaining read and very enlightening. I came away with a much deeper appreciation for estate wineries in general, as these folks are as much farmers as they are winemakers.

"The Grail" is my favorite wine book because of its primary focus on the "who", while still delivering on the "what" and "where". It's a book that will take you beyond the bottle and connect you to people and places producing wine in Oregon. So, as the weather starts to encourage curling up with a book, consider picking up "The Grail" along with a good bottle of Oregon pinot noir. In fact, I recommend trying a Lange pinot noir while you're at it.