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Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy
As a young child in Naples, Italy, Sergio Esposito sat at his kitchen table observing the daily ritual of his large, loud family bonding over fresh local dishes and simple country wines. While devouring the rich bufala mozzarella, still sopping with milk and salt, and the platters of fresh prosciutto, sliced so thin he could see through it, he absorbed the profound relationship of food, wine, and family in Italian culture.
Growing up in Albany, New York, after emigrating there with his family, he always sat next to his uncle Aldo and sipped from his wineglass during their customary hours-long extended family feasts. Thus, from a very early age, Esposito came to associate wine with the warmth of family, the tastes of his mother’s cooking—and, above all, memories of his former life in Italy. When he was in his twenties, he headed for New York and undertook a career in wine, beginning a journey that would culminate in his founding of Italian Wine Merchants, now the leading Italian wine source in America. His career offered him the opportunity to make frequent trips back to Italy to find wine for his clients, to learn the traditions of Italian winemaking, and, in so doing, to rediscover the Italian way of life he’d left behind.
Passion on the Vine is Esposito’s intimate and evocative memoir of his colorful family life in Italy, his abrupt transition to life in America, and of his travels into the heart of Italy—its wine country—and the lives of those who inhabit it. The result is a remarkably engaging and entertaining wine/travel narrative replete with vivid portraits of seductive places—the world-famous cellars of Piedmont, the sweeping estates of Tuscany, the lush fields of Campania, the chilly hills of Friuli, the windy beaches of Le Marche; and of memorable people, diverse and vibrant wine artisans—from a disco-dancing vintner who bases his farming on the rhythm of the moon to an obsessive prince who destroys his vineyards before his death so that his grapes will never be used incorrectly.
Esposito’s luscious accounts of the wonderful food and wine that are so much a part of Italian life, and his poignant and often hilarious stories of his relationships with his family and Italian friends, make Passion on the Vine an utterly unique and enchanting work about Italy and its eternally seductive lifestyle.
Growing up in Albany, New York, after emigrating there with his family, he always sat next to his uncle Aldo and sipped from his wineglass during their customary hours-long extended family feasts. Thus, from a very early age, Esposito came to associate wine with the warmth of family, the tastes of his mother’s cooking—and, above all, memories of his former life in Italy. When he was in his twenties, he headed for New York and undertook a career in wine, beginning a journey that would culminate in his founding of Italian Wine Merchants, now the leading Italian wine source in America. His career offered him the opportunity to make frequent trips back to Italy to find wine for his clients, to learn the traditions of Italian winemaking, and, in so doing, to rediscover the Italian way of life he’d left behind.
Passion on the Vine is Esposito’s intimate and evocative memoir of his colorful family life in Italy, his abrupt transition to life in America, and of his travels into the heart of Italy—its wine country—and the lives of those who inhabit it. The result is a remarkably engaging and entertaining wine/travel narrative replete with vivid portraits of seductive places—the world-famous cellars of Piedmont, the sweeping estates of Tuscany, the lush fields of Campania, the chilly hills of Friuli, the windy beaches of Le Marche; and of memorable people, diverse and vibrant wine artisans—from a disco-dancing vintner who bases his farming on the rhythm of the moon to an obsessive prince who destroys his vineyards before his death so that his grapes will never be used incorrectly.
Esposito’s luscious accounts of the wonderful food and wine that are so much a part of Italian life, and his poignant and often hilarious stories of his relationships with his family and Italian friends, make Passion on the Vine an utterly unique and enchanting work about Italy and its eternally seductive lifestyle.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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December 10, 2008As I was re-shelving some new nonfiction books a few weeks ago, an Italian villa on the cover of Sergio Esposito’s Passion on the Vine caught my eye. After perusing the description on the inside flap, I checked out the book and spent the next several days traveling all over Italy with the author--a native son of Naples. In fact, I found myself going through some sections of the book multiple times, as I read them aloud to friends and relatives.
Sergio Esposito lived his early years in a small suburb of Naples, Italy. In 1974, when he was around age seven, his impoverished family won a green card lottery and moved to Albany, New York, joining an uncle and his family. After high school Esposito began to explore his interest in wine, eventually opening the New York City wine store, Italian Wine Merchants.
In the opening chapters, particularly Chapter Two, we meet Esposito’s large, boisterous family. He describes them with obvious affection and subtle humor, peppering the dialogue with Italian phrases:
“My mother was, in addition to being an expert storyteller and a charming partygoer, a child-magnet. She could soothe a child just by whispering. She’d clean up mucus and tickle and cuddle and hush. My father’s mantra, when it came to children, was ‘Nun me tucca’. Don’t touch me.”
Esposito paints a masterful portrait of life growing up in southern Italy. The fresh food, the alluring countryside and seaside, the ever-present, fun-loving extended family and friends, and particularly the importance of wine in the lives of Italians are all colorful threads woven throughout the narrative. The images are so real, in fact, that when the family lands in bleak Albany, New York, the contrast is striking.
The family survives the transplant to America, though. When Esposito details the process he took that eventually led him to open his successful New York City wine store, it is a roadmap for anyone who wants to pursue a career doing something they love.
The remainder of the book chronicles a recent two-and-a-half-months-long business trip to Italy, on which Esposito was accompanied by his wife, his two young children, and his parents. Like the travelers, the book’s chapters journey from town-to-town, describing the events that took place, both business and pleasure. It is here that Esposito introduces us to an intriguing cast of wine makers and their varied, sometimes obscure, processes and philosophies for making wine. They run the gamut, from a highly-educated, twenty-something young man to a reclusive, eccentric prince, each with an unusual story.
Esposito’s “memoir of food, wine and family in the heart of Italy” is, above all, a book about relationships: the influence of history and traditions on the people; the love and camaraderie with family and friends; the impact of the soil and climate on what is grown; the effect of the winemaker’s methods; and the interactions between wine and food.
The story is well-written and cohesive, and you will come away with much more information about wine and food than you thought possible. (You will also be extremely hungry for authentic Italian food with that perfect bottle of wine….) After reading this book you will know how to respond to anyone who asks you why Italian wine is so good: Perché è così—because it’s like that.
Passion on the Vine is a great book for anyone who is interested in wine, food, or Italian history. If you like this book you might also enjoy A Hedonist in the Cellar: Adventures in Wine by Jay McInerney, Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy by Frances Mayes (or the movie by Diane Lane), and The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy by Odile Redon.
Sergio Esposito lived his early years in a small suburb of Naples, Italy. In 1974, when he was around age seven, his impoverished family won a green card lottery and moved to Albany, New York, joining an uncle and his family. After high school Esposito began to explore his interest in wine, eventually opening the New York City wine store, Italian Wine Merchants.
In the opening chapters, particularly Chapter Two, we meet Esposito’s large, boisterous family. He describes them with obvious affection and subtle humor, peppering the dialogue with Italian phrases:
“My mother was, in addition to being an expert storyteller and a charming partygoer, a child-magnet. She could soothe a child just by whispering. She’d clean up mucus and tickle and cuddle and hush. My father’s mantra, when it came to children, was ‘Nun me tucca’. Don’t touch me.”
Esposito paints a masterful portrait of life growing up in southern Italy. The fresh food, the alluring countryside and seaside, the ever-present, fun-loving extended family and friends, and particularly the importance of wine in the lives of Italians are all colorful threads woven throughout the narrative. The images are so real, in fact, that when the family lands in bleak Albany, New York, the contrast is striking.
The family survives the transplant to America, though. When Esposito details the process he took that eventually led him to open his successful New York City wine store, it is a roadmap for anyone who wants to pursue a career doing something they love.
The remainder of the book chronicles a recent two-and-a-half-months-long business trip to Italy, on which Esposito was accompanied by his wife, his two young children, and his parents. Like the travelers, the book’s chapters journey from town-to-town, describing the events that took place, both business and pleasure. It is here that Esposito introduces us to an intriguing cast of wine makers and their varied, sometimes obscure, processes and philosophies for making wine. They run the gamut, from a highly-educated, twenty-something young man to a reclusive, eccentric prince, each with an unusual story.
Esposito’s “memoir of food, wine and family in the heart of Italy” is, above all, a book about relationships: the influence of history and traditions on the people; the love and camaraderie with family and friends; the impact of the soil and climate on what is grown; the effect of the winemaker’s methods; and the interactions between wine and food.
The story is well-written and cohesive, and you will come away with much more information about wine and food than you thought possible. (You will also be extremely hungry for authentic Italian food with that perfect bottle of wine….) After reading this book you will know how to respond to anyone who asks you why Italian wine is so good: Perché è così—because it’s like that.
Passion on the Vine is a great book for anyone who is interested in wine, food, or Italian history. If you like this book you might also enjoy A Hedonist in the Cellar: Adventures in Wine by Jay McInerney, Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy by Frances Mayes (or the movie by Diane Lane), and The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy by Odile Redon.
August 21, 2019
Maybe it was the writing, in any case it didn't quite work for me. But it has inspried me to go and see if I can find any Italian wine to try.
October 25, 2021
Books on fine wine is a new territory for me, so it was an interesting read. On the outset it seems to delve more deep into wine, rather than the other two subjects - family and food, but I think it is naive to consider a book by wine importer not to let it take up major pages. Parts dealt with more on soil, lunar cycles, treating winemaking as a holier-than-thou process seemed like a rant for me. The aspects of introducing lesser know names(atleast for people who know the names - i am oblivious anyways) is commendable. As far as food and family goes, i knew what to expect and things are up to the mark. Does it make people appreciate wine more ? Surely. Did it make me take up a glass of wine to enjoy ? Certainly not.
September 7, 2021
A fun memoire of Sergio Esposito's life and how he became involved in the world of Italian wine. There are some wonderful little vignette's of his encounters in Italy as he tours around looking for new wine to purchase either for a restaurant he worked at in NYC and, later, his wine shop there that focuses exclusively on Italian wines. That's probably the highlight of the book. At times, like all of these things, one wonders what is left out about the author as it all seems somewhat dreamy and happy with little of the bumps in the road that most people endure. At times, the author comes across as a fairly self-interested and not very nice jerk. I'm not sure he notices or cares.
July 31, 2018
I loved this book. It is wonderful to discover a book with the heart and soul that I feel I also have, and to have reconfirmed the philosophy of life I most covet: Friends and family around the table with great food and wine is the most important thing that there is. The rest of it is just filling the in between spaces.
Esposito's writing is snappy, and the pages turn quickly. It's a who's who of famous Italian wine personalities that we get to visit and you'd better know your Italian wines and food or you might be a little lost.
Esposito's writing is snappy, and the pages turn quickly. It's a who's who of famous Italian wine personalities that we get to visit and you'd better know your Italian wines and food or you might be a little lost.
April 21, 2023
A good start to my journey to learn more about Italian wine. Its NOT a wine compendium, but it did increase my knowledge in different types of Italian wine and makers written in the format of one person's experiences with each.
March 13, 2018
Anyone who has even a slight interest in wine needs to read this book!! It enhanced my appreciation for wine and all that goes into creating it 100 fold!
April 10, 2020
I enjoyed learning about the whole culture of producing and selling Italian wine. Toward the end the author revealed a self-serving attitude that detracted from the beauty of the book.
January 11, 2022
What a great read. It was a great to follow the author as ge traveled Italy and built his business. So much focus on family. It sat on my shelf for a while, glad I finally read it.
January 14, 2022
Fun book taking the reader through Italy sampling wine and food in different regions.
November 29, 2025
Most boring book I’ve ever read
June 1, 2026
What a beguiling memoir about wine, Italy, Slovenia (just barely), and Sergio Esposito's adventures across both. With particularly illuminating sections on wine superstars Ales Kristancic (of Movia) and natural wine guru Josko Gravner. A pleasure to read!
February 25, 2017
Memoir of the love of wine, food and Italy
October 9, 2011
This is a book for a wine lover. Since I think most wines taste like vinegar I'm not sure where that leaves me. I knew it was going to be about wines a bit, but I didn't expect 90% of the book to be about wine. Especially since it called itself a memoir about food and family as well.
Sergio Esposito moved to the states when little. Even when he was little though he loved wines and built himself up through the years to where he could have a career in wine. This led to him becoming a buyer of wines for a store he opened in New York completely dedicated to Italian wines. For these buyings he frequently travels to Italy and seeks out the best. But he also learns the stories behind them and the methods used to produce these vastly different wines.
Esposito focuses more on wine than any people in this novel. But he does come across quite a few characters. And the stories he tells about them are nice. They are all devoted to their work but each is different and has different attributes that makes them completely unique. This ranges from the Prince who destroyed all his vines but then gave away all his wine to the wine maker who liked to be at the height of fashion at all times.
There were a few saving graces to this book. The few descriptions of food were absolutely luscious and I found myself wanting to eat all of it. Even the rabbit when normally I think bunnies are too cute to be eaten. Guess I may have to venture out in my adventures of eating more from the way this book makes all types of different foods sound amazing. But then we get into the descriptions of the wines, and like I said for a wine lover this may have been great, but for me it just went on and on about things I didn't really care about. It held a few interesting points but it just droned on so much that those who only just like wine or aren't big fans of all probably wouldn't be much interested in the book.
Great for wine lovers, not as great for me. Luckily the food descriptions made it somewhat worthwhile.
Passion on the Vine
Copyright 2008
284 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2011
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com .
Sergio Esposito moved to the states when little. Even when he was little though he loved wines and built himself up through the years to where he could have a career in wine. This led to him becoming a buyer of wines for a store he opened in New York completely dedicated to Italian wines. For these buyings he frequently travels to Italy and seeks out the best. But he also learns the stories behind them and the methods used to produce these vastly different wines.
Esposito focuses more on wine than any people in this novel. But he does come across quite a few characters. And the stories he tells about them are nice. They are all devoted to their work but each is different and has different attributes that makes them completely unique. This ranges from the Prince who destroyed all his vines but then gave away all his wine to the wine maker who liked to be at the height of fashion at all times.
There were a few saving graces to this book. The few descriptions of food were absolutely luscious and I found myself wanting to eat all of it. Even the rabbit when normally I think bunnies are too cute to be eaten. Guess I may have to venture out in my adventures of eating more from the way this book makes all types of different foods sound amazing. But then we get into the descriptions of the wines, and like I said for a wine lover this may have been great, but for me it just went on and on about things I didn't really care about. It held a few interesting points but it just droned on so much that those who only just like wine or aren't big fans of all probably wouldn't be much interested in the book.
Great for wine lovers, not as great for me. Luckily the food descriptions made it somewhat worthwhile.
Passion on the Vine
Copyright 2008
284 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2011
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com .
January 12, 2013
Equal parts memoir, travel literature, and guide to the history of Italian wine, Passion on the Vine is a delightful book from a man who understands deep in his soul that wine is magic.
As we journey through the sun kissed hills of Italy, past the silver-grey leaves of rich olive holdings and past ancient vineyards that echo with the careful snip of secateurs, we also journey through the author’s past – from his childhood in the Gulf of Naples to immigration and poverty in upstate New York, and his journeys back to Italy and into the world of its wine.
But this is not just an engagingly written memoir. It’s also a feast for the senses. Esposito’s talent for description is such that at times it feels as though we’re eating and drinking right along with him. With each new dinner and each new region, he introduces us to his friends and colleagues: passionate restaurateurs and old school winemakers, one of the most memorable being an eccentric prince who destroyed his vineyards rather than have them fall into uncaring hands. As we uncover together the secrets of Tuscany, Campania and Fruilu, Esposito patiently instructs us in the process of wine making – the alchemy and the magic that happens beyond sterile laboratory equations. And like any good wine, the book leaves behind a distinctive finish: we’re left with an immediate insight into why the lifestyle of Italy has always been so seductive.
As we journey through the sun kissed hills of Italy, past the silver-grey leaves of rich olive holdings and past ancient vineyards that echo with the careful snip of secateurs, we also journey through the author’s past – from his childhood in the Gulf of Naples to immigration and poverty in upstate New York, and his journeys back to Italy and into the world of its wine.
But this is not just an engagingly written memoir. It’s also a feast for the senses. Esposito’s talent for description is such that at times it feels as though we’re eating and drinking right along with him. With each new dinner and each new region, he introduces us to his friends and colleagues: passionate restaurateurs and old school winemakers, one of the most memorable being an eccentric prince who destroyed his vineyards rather than have them fall into uncaring hands. As we uncover together the secrets of Tuscany, Campania and Fruilu, Esposito patiently instructs us in the process of wine making – the alchemy and the magic that happens beyond sterile laboratory equations. And like any good wine, the book leaves behind a distinctive finish: we’re left with an immediate insight into why the lifestyle of Italy has always been so seductive.
September 29, 2011
I feel the author's number one intent in writing this book was to help promote the idea that Italy makes some marvelous wines and that in general this knowledge has been hidden, overlooked, or misunderstood. Also, Italy did not take making highly quality wine seriously until about the last 10-20 years. In the first few chapters he provides the details of his childhood in Italy, his family life and his interest in wine from a young age. He then proceeds with the move to New York as a child and the opportunities presented to him there which spurred his decision to open a wine store there. As a wine merchant only for Italian wines he then travels throughout Italy to sample the wines of different vineyards. Based on this account, he appears to have such an experienced and exceptional palate for wines that it makes you feel as though his decisions on which ones are best are not to be questioned. I'm confident this book helped promote his wine store in New York and his skills as a wine merchant. Since I have an interest in wines, it was educational and I will look more favorably on considering Italian wines going forward.
April 2, 2013
A story of food, wine, and family in Italy. Author Sergio was born in Naples, Italy and moved to the United States as a small child. He grew up with an appreciation for good food and wine - a talent for wine really. As an adult Sergio eventually opened his own business with the goal of teaching Americans to appreciate Italian wine the same way they appreciate/esteem French wines.
This business takes poor Sergio to Italy for several weeks year to taste wines in whirlwind travel around the country. A bulk of the book takes place the year Sergio gets wise and decides to not kill himself with crazy travel in the name of his business and to enjoy life - by bringing his wife and children, and his parents to Italy with him for a two-month tour.
Foodies who enjoy the focus on natural methods of production will appreciate many of the characters Segio introduces in this book - growers and wine makers who return to the roots of winemaking in order to create a truly great vintage. The food, the wine, the Italian culture all make this a fun, light, semi-escapist read.
This business takes poor Sergio to Italy for several weeks year to taste wines in whirlwind travel around the country. A bulk of the book takes place the year Sergio gets wise and decides to not kill himself with crazy travel in the name of his business and to enjoy life - by bringing his wife and children, and his parents to Italy with him for a two-month tour.
Foodies who enjoy the focus on natural methods of production will appreciate many of the characters Segio introduces in this book - growers and wine makers who return to the roots of winemaking in order to create a truly great vintage. The food, the wine, the Italian culture all make this a fun, light, semi-escapist read.
April 17, 2011
Wine lovers, take note, this is a book you might very well love. Passion on the Vine is a story about a guy who is born in Napoli, moves to NY, and suddenly discovers his affinity for all things wine related, Italian wine, that is. Sergio travels to Italy to meet and talk with vintners across the country, to taste their vintages, and discover the beauty and depth of Italian wine, of the heart and soul that goes into the making of it. I learned quite a bit about the wine industry by reading this book, and I couldn't help but wonder if much of the wine I've tasted from California is merely a scientific, sanitized version of what wine is really meant to be. I can't wait to go to Italy this year and try Brunello from the Mantalcino region. I'm not a wine afficionado by any stretch of the imagination, but I do enjoy a glass and I love going to vineyards on Long Island and hearing how each wine is made. This book is one long version of that and it was fabulous.
February 6, 2012
After reading this book, I don't think I can think of wine in the same way again and now I only want to drink wine grown and produced as many have done in this book. Don't I wish that were possible. I learned a great deal about passion for the vine and some of the best parts of this book, were the reverence shown home grown, natural and good foods and drink. The five and six hour dinners with voluptuous descriptions of the food left me wishing for a long lost relative in this hills of Italy.
Reverence for family, for children, for ritual for doing things right is what made this book for me. Much of the gut feeling came toward the middle of the book when the author and his family were in Italy.
Reverence for family, for children, for ritual for doing things right is what made this book for me. Much of the gut feeling came toward the middle of the book when the author and his family were in Italy.
September 7, 2008
Initial reaction was that of jealousy. I want this life that Sergio Esposito has worked so arduously for. He brings to this book tales of history, of family, of strength and devotion. He is passionate first about his family, then to his native country (Italy) and then to wine. He is not just a purveyor but a historian and a librarian. He looks not at a trend but at a philosophy of the life of the winemaker and what makes the best. I looked forward to each new chapter that exposed a new frontier and the old and new trail blazers of that wine region.
July 9, 2010
This is an easy and fun read about the wine making regions of Italy. Esposito is an Italian immigrant to New York, and now owns a wine shop specializing in Italian wines. The book is an account of his early days as a wine shop owner, but moves quickly to a trip to Italy where he travels from vineyard to vineyard, tasting wines. He holds back from being overly florid with language (avoiding "notes of blackberry and soft leather"), but I think he wants to go there. Makes you want to try Italian wine, even if you don't drink it.
April 8, 2012
This is a memoir of food and wine. I love reading about good food almost as much as I love eating it or smelling it! Sergio explains how he came into the sommelier and wine business, demonstrates how well he knows food, and reinforces my maxim, food tastes better when you eat it near the source. It makes me miss California all the more. Since my father's family grew wine in the Napa region, the area he didn't like, I understood what he also didn't say. How physically hard it can be to grow grapes and produce wine.
April 16, 2015
I wanted this book to go on forever. It's a wonderful and evocative story of what makes Italy such a unique, endearing, and almost overwhelming wine and food culture, and of the many quirky characters that make up the world of Italian winemaking. Every time I opened the book, I became wildly hungry and had an irresistible urge to run and open a bottle of Italian wine. Sergei Esposito's descriptions of how to understand Italian wines and what makes good Italian wines special have changed the way I drink every wine.
February 23, 2016
For someone who has no knowledge of wine at all, and didn't even consider I had an interest, I found this book very good. I probably would've given it five stars if it had had some photographs (not just on the endpapers) and a list of some of the wines he talks about. The book was surprisingly engaging considering it was about a topic I didn't know anything about nor did I ever think I cared to learn. I'm not sure I really know anything about wine after reading it, but I know a lot about Italy's wine history and it's pretty interesting.
July 25, 2008
Grab a nice glass of sangiovese, or better yet, a Barolo, and settle in for a calorie-laden treat. Sergio Esposito, the proprietor of Italian Wine Merchants in New York, writes of his Neopolitan roots, Italian food (most definitely not Olive Garden food!) and Italian wine. Definitely more for the wine/food fans than the memoir fans, this book caused me to change the week's menu and look for new wines.
August 13, 2009
This real life author, Sergio Esposito, could be me in my dreams. He owns a wine shop in New York. But even better he travels throughout Italy, visits with family and friends, eats mass quantities of delicious Italian food at all hours of the day and drinks wonderful and rare Italian wine. If I lead a good life, I could come back as Sergio Esposito. You can start to call me Sergio now! Oh, the book was good.
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February 2, 2010This is a non-fiction book letting the reader in on Sergio Espositio's life and career as an importer of wine from Italy. I feel like he's my best friend and I loved the history of the wineries, their owners and the methods they have used to create many of the best wines in Italy. I am rereading it because I find I look a little deeper into the stories of each of the places he goes and the wonderful people he meets. He and his family are a treat, as well.
July 28, 2009
Just as I have always suspected, many people are able to taste and smell in a way I can't. This man's love of wine is communicated in such a way, you can almost sense his palate. This book recounts a trip through Italy's little towns to find some delicious local wines to add to his NYC's wine shop inventory. A fun read.
October 11, 2009
A slow start, as Esposito seems a little self-conscious (and, really, somewhat cliche) when writing about himself. But the book picks up when he starts getting into stories about the winemakers and cooks he encounters on his frequent trips to Italy. Decent armchair travel and a pleasant way to learn a little more about Italian wine.
October 19, 2009
Very technical about wine, but then I'm very interested in all that! Anyone that considers themselves a wine connissour (sp?), or would like to be, would enjoy this. If you don't really care, then this book could easily be a bit slow. However, wine is such a basic part of Italy's history, that to understand Italy at all, this is a great place to start!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews