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Godforsaken Grapes: A Slightly Tipsy Journey through the World of Strange, Obscure, and Underappreciated Wine
There are nearly 1,400 known varieties of wine grapes in the world—from auxerrois to zierfandler—but 80% of the wine we drink is made from only 20 grapes. In Godforsaken Grapes, Jason Wilson looks at how that came to be and takes the reader on a journey into what else is out there.
From Switzerland, Austria, and Portugal through France and Italy, and back to the United States, Wilson delves into the rare and wonderful. Blending extensive travels in wine-producing regions and conversations with wine evangelists, cutting-edge hipster winemakers, and explorers on an obsessive hunt for the strangest grapes in the world, Godforsaken Grapes is an entertaining love letter to wine.
From Switzerland, Austria, and Portugal through France and Italy, and back to the United States, Wilson delves into the rare and wonderful. Blending extensive travels in wine-producing regions and conversations with wine evangelists, cutting-edge hipster winemakers, and explorers on an obsessive hunt for the strangest grapes in the world, Godforsaken Grapes is an entertaining love letter to wine.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 24, 2018
98 people are currently reading
2244 people want to read
About the author
Jason Wilson
66 books85 followersJASON WILSON is the author of Godforsaken Grape: A Slightly Tipsy Journey through the World of Strange, Obscure, and Underappreciated Wine, to be published in April by Abrams Books.
Wilson is also the author of Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrated in Spirits, and the series editor of The Best American Travel Writing since its inception in 2000.
A regular contributor to the Washington Post, Wilson wrote an award-winning drinks column for years. Wilson has also been beer columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, dining critic for the Philadelphia Daily News and Philadelphia Magazine, and has written for the New York Times, NewYorker.com, AFAR, National Geographic Traveler, and many other magazines and newspapers.
Wilson is also the author of Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrated in Spirits, and the series editor of The Best American Travel Writing since its inception in 2000.
A regular contributor to the Washington Post, Wilson wrote an award-winning drinks column for years. Wilson has also been beer columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, dining critic for the Philadelphia Daily News and Philadelphia Magazine, and has written for the New York Times, NewYorker.com, AFAR, National Geographic Traveler, and many other magazines and newspapers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 9, 2024
As a wine drinker and someone who likes to try new things, this book really appealed to me. Jason Wilson takes you on his journey through the road less taken of wine drinking, and it is a very interesting one. The book though is less about the grapes and more about his own personal story of how he ended up looking for these lesser known grapes.
The book is well researched and has lots of historical background on most of the grapes, most of them I did not know, but luckily there is a handful of them I have drunk. At times though, all this gets a bit muddled with all the restaurants he eats at, the wine-makers he meets and the stories they tell him. Still an interesting read and recommended if you want to get away from noble grapes a bit.
The book is well researched and has lots of historical background on most of the grapes, most of them I did not know, but luckily there is a handful of them I have drunk. At times though, all this gets a bit muddled with all the restaurants he eats at, the wine-makers he meets and the stories they tell him. Still an interesting read and recommended if you want to get away from noble grapes a bit.
January 16, 2019
This is not a book about obscure wine grapes. If you were, like me, looking for a book on this topic, I would recommend you look elsewhere. This book, however, is in essence a book about the author. And travel. But mostly about the author's journeys in wine and elsewhere.
The author is clearly very knowledgeable about wine, but he seems to assume that the reader is definitely not. In my mind, the author has seriously misjudged his audience - if you chose to read a book purporting to be about obscure wine grapes, chances are you already know quite a bit about wine.
In the sections where the author does write about grape varieties, he does it in a haphazard, infuriatingly unsystematic way, making it impossible to divine any real wine knowledge from it. Mostly, he discusses the challenges of selling foreign wine to Americans, from the point of view that Americans generally reject any wine whose name they cannot easily pronounce. Not only do I think this is probably unfair to a lot of American wine drinkers, it is also not a very good starting ground for discussing rare grape varieties.
In full honesty, the author suggests that Blaufrankisch should be rebranded "Blue Frank" for the American market. This reminds me forcibly of John Smith's attitude to the indigenous peoples in Disney's Pocahontas. The author also devotes a lot of space to the varying popularity of Grüner Veltliner, a decidedly not especially obscure grape, in the American market. This despite the fact that the name of the grape contains an umlaut, which he repeatedly tells the reader will send any American wine consumer running away screaming.
The author seems to be contonuously contradicting himself. He describes the recent popularity of Austrian Gelber Muskateller, to exemplify that obscure grapes can also be good sellers. Although he comments that Gelber Muskateller is only the German name for Muscat a petit grains, I doubt the point would be as good if he had referred to the wine by its Italian name, Moscato.
If I wanted to read a book about American wine market trends, I would have purchased a proper book about wine economics (I can recommend Wine Wars by Mike Veseth).
It must be said that the narrator does the book no favours, as his pronounciation of any foreign names was so atricious, it grew to irritate me so much that I occasionally forgot to pay attention to the book itself. This is exacerbated by the author's very irritating repetition of how unpronounceable non-American wine names are.
I really wish the author had been more generous with his knowledge about rare grape varieties, so that we could all have learned a bit more and perhaps been inspired to try something new and exciting.
The author is clearly very knowledgeable about wine, but he seems to assume that the reader is definitely not. In my mind, the author has seriously misjudged his audience - if you chose to read a book purporting to be about obscure wine grapes, chances are you already know quite a bit about wine.
In the sections where the author does write about grape varieties, he does it in a haphazard, infuriatingly unsystematic way, making it impossible to divine any real wine knowledge from it. Mostly, he discusses the challenges of selling foreign wine to Americans, from the point of view that Americans generally reject any wine whose name they cannot easily pronounce. Not only do I think this is probably unfair to a lot of American wine drinkers, it is also not a very good starting ground for discussing rare grape varieties.
In full honesty, the author suggests that Blaufrankisch should be rebranded "Blue Frank" for the American market. This reminds me forcibly of John Smith's attitude to the indigenous peoples in Disney's Pocahontas. The author also devotes a lot of space to the varying popularity of Grüner Veltliner, a decidedly not especially obscure grape, in the American market. This despite the fact that the name of the grape contains an umlaut, which he repeatedly tells the reader will send any American wine consumer running away screaming.
The author seems to be contonuously contradicting himself. He describes the recent popularity of Austrian Gelber Muskateller, to exemplify that obscure grapes can also be good sellers. Although he comments that Gelber Muskateller is only the German name for Muscat a petit grains, I doubt the point would be as good if he had referred to the wine by its Italian name, Moscato.
If I wanted to read a book about American wine market trends, I would have purchased a proper book about wine economics (I can recommend Wine Wars by Mike Veseth).
It must be said that the narrator does the book no favours, as his pronounciation of any foreign names was so atricious, it grew to irritate me so much that I occasionally forgot to pay attention to the book itself. This is exacerbated by the author's very irritating repetition of how unpronounceable non-American wine names are.
I really wish the author had been more generous with his knowledge about rare grape varieties, so that we could all have learned a bit more and perhaps been inspired to try something new and exciting.
February 21, 2025
I love red, white, blends. I don’t discriminate. I love all wine but far from being a wine connoisseur.
I found this to be a fun and informative read. My knowledge of wine prior to reading this was very basic and while I'm still no wine connoisseur after reading this book; Jason Wilson indeed expanded my knowledge of wine with the amount of historical background he gives you on the lesser-known grapes he came across during his European travels.
Wilson is very knowledgeable of his wines and does an excellent job giving you background on the grapes. However, I found it to be a bit of a drag when he fell into a tangent on things that offered no relevance to the book. Overall I really enjoyed it and it will now have me reaching for those obscure wines.
I highly recommend it to anyone who loves wine or just wants to add random knowledge to their brain. 4 stars for me!
I found this to be a fun and informative read. My knowledge of wine prior to reading this was very basic and while I'm still no wine connoisseur after reading this book; Jason Wilson indeed expanded my knowledge of wine with the amount of historical background he gives you on the lesser-known grapes he came across during his European travels.
Wilson is very knowledgeable of his wines and does an excellent job giving you background on the grapes. However, I found it to be a bit of a drag when he fell into a tangent on things that offered no relevance to the book. Overall I really enjoyed it and it will now have me reaching for those obscure wines.
I highly recommend it to anyone who loves wine or just wants to add random knowledge to their brain. 4 stars for me!
December 4, 2019
I enjoy good wine. I'm not an expert, just an occasional wine drinker. I found this book enjoyable for the most part. Some of it went over my head, but overall I was entertained and informed. I listened to this while driving over the holiday. A couple times, I had to stop listening because of impending drowsiness. Some of the content can be a bit dry, too much information on minor details. I'm looking forward to searching out some of the wines talked about.
July 10, 2023
While I'm far from being a serious wine aficionado, I do like reading about the new and different, and Wilson did scratch that itch for me, with his cheer-leading for the obscure and forgotten. If nothing else, the realities of global warming for the regions that produce industrial quantities of mainstream wine might wind up forcing us to drink something else!
Besides that, this is something of a memoir, as Wilson recounts the steps that lead him on his current path as a travel writer and a student of wine history. It was certainly a more personal story than I expected.
Besides that, this is something of a memoir, as Wilson recounts the steps that lead him on his current path as a travel writer and a student of wine history. It was certainly a more personal story than I expected.
July 9, 2018
Many wine nerds have likely heard a similar statistic: about 80% of the world’s wine comes from about 20 grapes. Meanwhile, planet Earth boasts some 1,400 grape varieties used in winemaking, which means there is a whole lot of “obscure” wine out there. Since I’ve been paying close attention to wine, for about a dozen years now, I’ve seen a huge uptick in excitement about wines like Mtsvane from Georgia, Trousseau from Jura, orange wines from Slovenia, etc. Even though I’m still totally happy sipping California Chardonnay, I think this increased attention on lesser known wines has been extremely positive in many ways.
In his new book, “Godforsaken Grapes: A Slightly Tipsy Journey through the World of Strange, Obscure, and Underappreciated Wine,” Philly’s Jason Wilson digs deep into the other 20% of the world’s wine. After focusing on spirits and cocktails for much of his life, Wilson caught a bad case of the wine geek bug, and soon began traveling to Austria, Switzerland, Northeast Italy, and other regions, searching for obscure wines and the interesting people who keep them alive.
In an interview with Wine Enthusiast, Wilson said this about his motivations behind writing the book: “This book is very personal, dealing with my own growing obsession with wine during my late 30s and 40s. I wanted to write about what happens when one goes down the rabbit hole into serious geekdom. I also saw a bigger story. The wine industry is undergoing a massive sea change and the influence of a certain type of ‘serious wine critic’ is on the wane. I wanted to capture this moment.”
The title of the book was taken from a now infamous screed posted by Robert Parker in 2014, in which he complained that a younger generation of wine-lovers (which he called a “group of absolutists”) was engaging in, “near-complete rejection of some of the finest grapes and the wines they produce. Instead they espouse, with enormous gusto and noise, grapes and wines that are virtually unknown.” These “godforsaken grapes” (like Trousseau, Savagnin, Blaufränkisch and others), Parker decreed, made wines that were “rarely palatable.”
A lot of people were ruffled by Parker’s post, but I remember feeling a bit sad. It reminded me of an old metalhead ranting about how bands these days don’t make music like they used to. Blah, blah, blah. This thinking also sets up a false dichotomy, pitting what Wilson calls “serious wines” against the “obscure” or “natural” or “geeky” wines. I’ve never felt the need to pick a side in this fight — Napa Cabs are great, so is Schiava from Alto Adige. The world is big enough for everything. Isn’t there enough tribalism in the world already? It’s just wine — right?
The most refreshing aspect about Wilson’s voice is his sense of self-doubt, the way he questions his own assumptions and applies skepticism to his own views when he feels he might be getting ahead of himself. Since wine, as the cliché goes, is a journey, I appreciate how Wilson always checks his tracks to see where he’s been and where he’s going.
“Was all of this just a privileged exercise in geekiness and arcane trivia?” Wilson asks himself. “I’d started to worry I was falling down the same rabbit hole as those hipper-than-thou wine snobs who sneer at people who order chardonnay.”
Several times in the book, Wilson compares extreme wine geekism to bizarre, obscure performance art, and wonders if some of us are seeking out oddity for oddity’s sake: “I occasionally worry that the pursuit of even more obscure and lesser-known wines is sort of like Dada. What’s cool and enigmatic one day — trollinger from Germany or encruzado from Portugal or malagousia from Greece — could very well become boring tomorrow.”
And sometimes we can get so caught up in wine geek navel gazing, perhaps sometimes we miss the entire point. I mean, isn’t this all about happiness and pleasure anyway? Again, Wilson asks: “But has this quest into pleasure led toward some enlightenment or happiness, or has it simply succeeded in making me a miserable person? I occasionally worry about these sorts of things. I am well aware how ridiculous or pathetic that may sound, the ultimate First World Problem.”
Wilson’s book is divvied up into self-enclosed chapters focusing on a certain region or a certain type of wine. I will say, some of the chapters (like the one on Port) seem tacked on, and sometimes Wilson rambles on for far too long about his travel logistics. That said, I genuinely enjoyed this book, learned more than a few things, and finished it feeling invigorated about where we are in this moment of wine’s history.
If you’re still looking for a wine-related summer beach read, this is a great one. I confess that reading this book on a beach in Portugal (while sipping a chilled local white made from Antão Vaz) was a delightful experience.
In his new book, “Godforsaken Grapes: A Slightly Tipsy Journey through the World of Strange, Obscure, and Underappreciated Wine,” Philly’s Jason Wilson digs deep into the other 20% of the world’s wine. After focusing on spirits and cocktails for much of his life, Wilson caught a bad case of the wine geek bug, and soon began traveling to Austria, Switzerland, Northeast Italy, and other regions, searching for obscure wines and the interesting people who keep them alive.
In an interview with Wine Enthusiast, Wilson said this about his motivations behind writing the book: “This book is very personal, dealing with my own growing obsession with wine during my late 30s and 40s. I wanted to write about what happens when one goes down the rabbit hole into serious geekdom. I also saw a bigger story. The wine industry is undergoing a massive sea change and the influence of a certain type of ‘serious wine critic’ is on the wane. I wanted to capture this moment.”
The title of the book was taken from a now infamous screed posted by Robert Parker in 2014, in which he complained that a younger generation of wine-lovers (which he called a “group of absolutists”) was engaging in, “near-complete rejection of some of the finest grapes and the wines they produce. Instead they espouse, with enormous gusto and noise, grapes and wines that are virtually unknown.” These “godforsaken grapes” (like Trousseau, Savagnin, Blaufränkisch and others), Parker decreed, made wines that were “rarely palatable.”
A lot of people were ruffled by Parker’s post, but I remember feeling a bit sad. It reminded me of an old metalhead ranting about how bands these days don’t make music like they used to. Blah, blah, blah. This thinking also sets up a false dichotomy, pitting what Wilson calls “serious wines” against the “obscure” or “natural” or “geeky” wines. I’ve never felt the need to pick a side in this fight — Napa Cabs are great, so is Schiava from Alto Adige. The world is big enough for everything. Isn’t there enough tribalism in the world already? It’s just wine — right?
The most refreshing aspect about Wilson’s voice is his sense of self-doubt, the way he questions his own assumptions and applies skepticism to his own views when he feels he might be getting ahead of himself. Since wine, as the cliché goes, is a journey, I appreciate how Wilson always checks his tracks to see where he’s been and where he’s going.
“Was all of this just a privileged exercise in geekiness and arcane trivia?” Wilson asks himself. “I’d started to worry I was falling down the same rabbit hole as those hipper-than-thou wine snobs who sneer at people who order chardonnay.”
Several times in the book, Wilson compares extreme wine geekism to bizarre, obscure performance art, and wonders if some of us are seeking out oddity for oddity’s sake: “I occasionally worry that the pursuit of even more obscure and lesser-known wines is sort of like Dada. What’s cool and enigmatic one day — trollinger from Germany or encruzado from Portugal or malagousia from Greece — could very well become boring tomorrow.”
And sometimes we can get so caught up in wine geek navel gazing, perhaps sometimes we miss the entire point. I mean, isn’t this all about happiness and pleasure anyway? Again, Wilson asks: “But has this quest into pleasure led toward some enlightenment or happiness, or has it simply succeeded in making me a miserable person? I occasionally worry about these sorts of things. I am well aware how ridiculous or pathetic that may sound, the ultimate First World Problem.”
Wilson’s book is divvied up into self-enclosed chapters focusing on a certain region or a certain type of wine. I will say, some of the chapters (like the one on Port) seem tacked on, and sometimes Wilson rambles on for far too long about his travel logistics. That said, I genuinely enjoyed this book, learned more than a few things, and finished it feeling invigorated about where we are in this moment of wine’s history.
If you’re still looking for a wine-related summer beach read, this is a great one. I confess that reading this book on a beach in Portugal (while sipping a chilled local white made from Antão Vaz) was a delightful experience.
March 21, 2018
Really enjoyed this ARC. Recommended it to my friends, including my favorite vinophile Steph, who can't wait to read it! Worth keeping handy as a reference, especially when you live in wine country as we do in the Pacific Northwest.
January 20, 2024
so fun!!! took forever to finish bc life but really enjoyed this
January 28, 2024
How could I not get hooked on this book? The very first page has the author eating raclette in a château right down the road from us and drinking wine made by locals whose names I recognized. And he grew up in South Jersey where my husband's grandparents and aunt lived (go, Milmay!!) and where I've had lovely visits in a place that feels like you're in 1964 or something. It was a thoroughly enjoyable tour through vineyards and domaines and made me realize that I've got to branch out a bit and find some new and different wines!
January 21, 2025
Interesting book about unknown grape varietals - a little long sometimes but overall entertaining and informative
March 26, 2021
An interesting story behind some lesser known grapes. I wish he’d dug in more to ones I didn’t already know about, but it was cool hearing more about the backstory behind grapes other than the noble grapes.
May 11, 2021
I loved this book so much that I actually emailed the author to tell him so.
A couple of people seem to have been critical of the book in their reviews, but in reading those reviews it seems like they simply didn't read the book jacket, assumed the book was something else, and then were angry that the book didn't conform to their expectations. If you read the summary on the back cover that says, "A combination of travel memoir and epicurean adventure, Godforesaken Grapes is an entertaining love letter to wine," then you know exactly what the book is about. If you're expecting something else, that's on you.
The one critique I agree with is that the book could have a been a little more organized. I didn't necessarily understand why things were presented in the order they were, but it honestly didn't affect my enjoyment of it. Probably because every chapter seemed like it was written just for me. Wilson covered some of my favorite grapes like Grüner Veltliner, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, and Gewürztraminer and introduced me to some new must-tries that I had never heard of. I loved the mix of travel log, history, wine knowledge, and personal essay elements in the book. It is the book that I would have written if I could have written about this topic.
The reviews also vary on the level of knowledge one needs in order to read the book. One person who was clearly an expert on wine didn't think the book contained enough info. (Again, it's a travel memoir, not a textbook.) Another reader felt the book was over their head in places. As a person with better-than-average wine knowledge, but not an expert, I found the book was just right. It contained some information I already knew, which helped ground me, while still being informative enough that I learned a lot. Also, "Chardonnay sipper" is now my new favorite 'insult'... (Wilson tells a story. It's not his insult.)
If you love wine, have a basic knowledge of it, and are willing to break out of your Cabernet Sauvignon rut, then this book is a great read. I finished it in record time.
A couple of people seem to have been critical of the book in their reviews, but in reading those reviews it seems like they simply didn't read the book jacket, assumed the book was something else, and then were angry that the book didn't conform to their expectations. If you read the summary on the back cover that says, "A combination of travel memoir and epicurean adventure, Godforesaken Grapes is an entertaining love letter to wine," then you know exactly what the book is about. If you're expecting something else, that's on you.
The one critique I agree with is that the book could have a been a little more organized. I didn't necessarily understand why things were presented in the order they were, but it honestly didn't affect my enjoyment of it. Probably because every chapter seemed like it was written just for me. Wilson covered some of my favorite grapes like Grüner Veltliner, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, and Gewürztraminer and introduced me to some new must-tries that I had never heard of. I loved the mix of travel log, history, wine knowledge, and personal essay elements in the book. It is the book that I would have written if I could have written about this topic.
The reviews also vary on the level of knowledge one needs in order to read the book. One person who was clearly an expert on wine didn't think the book contained enough info. (Again, it's a travel memoir, not a textbook.) Another reader felt the book was over their head in places. As a person with better-than-average wine knowledge, but not an expert, I found the book was just right. It contained some information I already knew, which helped ground me, while still being informative enough that I learned a lot. Also, "Chardonnay sipper" is now my new favorite 'insult'... (Wilson tells a story. It's not his insult.)
If you love wine, have a basic knowledge of it, and are willing to break out of your Cabernet Sauvignon rut, then this book is a great read. I finished it in record time.
January 17, 2022
This book was a refreshing look at wine and great for people who enjoy wine and are tired of the growing obsession with ratings and the politics of the industry. The author introduces the readers to a number of lesser-known grapes and regions and shows us a new and arguably a more enjoyable perspective on wine.
April 4, 2025
I'm a wine newbie, barely past the "box wine is fine" stage, so diving into Godforsaken Grapes felt a little like showing up to a sommelier convention in flip-flops. I haven't even conquered the "noble grapes" yet – you know, Chardonnay, Merlot, the usual suspects. So, reading about obscure varieties felt a tad like learning Klingon before mastering English. However, since wine, as the cliché goes, is a journey, this is where I am, and hey, maybe someday I'll be fluent in Trollinger.
That being said, this book is interesting, but definitely aspirational. I can't exactly hop on a plane to Switzerland or Portugal to sip local wines straight from the source. It sounds divine, the kind of Instagram-worthy experience I dream of, but back here in reality, it feels a bit…distant. Most chapters follow a similar pattern: 1) Wilson goes somewhere cool, 2) meets some fascinating people, 3) drinks a wine that blows his mind in some unexpected way. The structure is consistent, but his writing is anything but. He's a pro, weaving vivid descriptions that make you practically taste the wine, even if you've never heard of it (which, let's be honest, you probably haven't). I do wish he explored more of his time teaching university courses on wine. It was one of the best chapters in my mind.
What I really appreciate about Wilson is his self-awareness. He's not afraid to question his own wine-snob tendencies, which is refreshing. "Was all of this just a privileged exercise in geekiness and arcane trivia?" he wonders. "I’d started to worry I was falling down the same rabbit hole as those hipper-than-thou wine snobs who sneer at people who order chardonnay.” He even compares extreme wine geekdom to performance art, asking if the pursuit of ever-more-obscure wines is just a quest for novelty. "I occasionally worry that the pursuit of even more obscure and lesser-known wines is sort of like Dada," he muses. "What’s cool and enigmatic one day — trollinger from Germany or encruzado from Portugal or malagousia from Greece — could very well become boring tomorrow.” And he gets to the heart of it: isn't wine supposed to be fun? "But has this quest into pleasure led toward some enlightenment or happiness, or has it simply succeeded in making me a miserable person? I occasionally worry about these sorts of things. I am well aware how ridiculous or pathetic that may sound, the ultimate First World Problem.”
While some chapters feel a bit tacked on (looking at you, Port!), and the travelogue bits can get a little long-winded, I enjoyed this book. I learned a ton and finished it feeling enthusiastic about the wild world of wine. The ideal way to read this? On a beach in Portugal, with a chilled glass of local Encruzado in hand. Sadly, I'm not on a Portuguese beach right now. And Godforsaken Grapes is a bit of a niche read. Because it focuses on obscure wines that many readers may never encounter, it's not essential reading for the casual wine drinker. If you're just starting your wine journey or you're perfectly happy sticking to your usual favorites, you can probably skip this one. However, if you're a serious wine enthusiast looking to expand your knowledge and explore new flavors, this book is an excellent resource. It's a deep dive into the world of underappreciated grapes, and while it might not be relevant to every wine drinker, it's a valuable and entertaining read for those who are passionate about discovering new vinous horizons. It's a fantastic resource but be prepared for some serious wine envy.
As I said above, but I will say it again, if you're gun hoe to try all of the 101 godforsaken grapes there is an appendix which gives a small description of each wine, the regions they come from, and which producers to purchase a bottle from.
That being said, this book is interesting, but definitely aspirational. I can't exactly hop on a plane to Switzerland or Portugal to sip local wines straight from the source. It sounds divine, the kind of Instagram-worthy experience I dream of, but back here in reality, it feels a bit…distant. Most chapters follow a similar pattern: 1) Wilson goes somewhere cool, 2) meets some fascinating people, 3) drinks a wine that blows his mind in some unexpected way. The structure is consistent, but his writing is anything but. He's a pro, weaving vivid descriptions that make you practically taste the wine, even if you've never heard of it (which, let's be honest, you probably haven't). I do wish he explored more of his time teaching university courses on wine. It was one of the best chapters in my mind.
What I really appreciate about Wilson is his self-awareness. He's not afraid to question his own wine-snob tendencies, which is refreshing. "Was all of this just a privileged exercise in geekiness and arcane trivia?" he wonders. "I’d started to worry I was falling down the same rabbit hole as those hipper-than-thou wine snobs who sneer at people who order chardonnay.” He even compares extreme wine geekdom to performance art, asking if the pursuit of ever-more-obscure wines is just a quest for novelty. "I occasionally worry that the pursuit of even more obscure and lesser-known wines is sort of like Dada," he muses. "What’s cool and enigmatic one day — trollinger from Germany or encruzado from Portugal or malagousia from Greece — could very well become boring tomorrow.” And he gets to the heart of it: isn't wine supposed to be fun? "But has this quest into pleasure led toward some enlightenment or happiness, or has it simply succeeded in making me a miserable person? I occasionally worry about these sorts of things. I am well aware how ridiculous or pathetic that may sound, the ultimate First World Problem.”
While some chapters feel a bit tacked on (looking at you, Port!), and the travelogue bits can get a little long-winded, I enjoyed this book. I learned a ton and finished it feeling enthusiastic about the wild world of wine. The ideal way to read this? On a beach in Portugal, with a chilled glass of local Encruzado in hand. Sadly, I'm not on a Portuguese beach right now. And Godforsaken Grapes is a bit of a niche read. Because it focuses on obscure wines that many readers may never encounter, it's not essential reading for the casual wine drinker. If you're just starting your wine journey or you're perfectly happy sticking to your usual favorites, you can probably skip this one. However, if you're a serious wine enthusiast looking to expand your knowledge and explore new flavors, this book is an excellent resource. It's a deep dive into the world of underappreciated grapes, and while it might not be relevant to every wine drinker, it's a valuable and entertaining read for those who are passionate about discovering new vinous horizons. It's a fantastic resource but be prepared for some serious wine envy.
As I said above, but I will say it again, if you're gun hoe to try all of the 101 godforsaken grapes there is an appendix which gives a small description of each wine, the regions they come from, and which producers to purchase a bottle from.
May 15, 2019
I have always been intrigued by slightly out-of-the-mainstream wines. In recent years, that has grown into a fascination with lesser-known wine grapes, leading me to search out a copy of Jancis Robinson et al’s encyclopedic reference “Wine Grapes: A Complete guide to 1,368 varieties…” I have been known to spend an hour leafing through it, chasing down the origins of a glass I am enjoying.
So when the book opened with the author having a meal in a Swiss village, tasting obscure wines with the cofounder of a French non-profit whose mission is to rescue indigenous grapes from extinction and a botanist who is a coauthor of “Wine Grapes,” I was hooked.
The book is as much the story of the author’s journey of discovery as it is of the grapes. He is not a traditional “wine writer,” and wears his outsider credentials proudly. Despite an incredible amount of information that will appeal to the wine geeks, he writes in a way that will not put off people who do not read traditional wine magazines.
Early on he does take some odd side trips (Pokemon Go????) and makes seemingly unnecessary concessions to readers who are not familiar with wine literature (as, “Again, stick with me, this can be a good thing” after tasting notes that mention something other than fruit flavors.)
And certainly one could quibble about some of his selections of obscure grapes (Cabernet Franc, Gewürztraminer, Petite Sirah and Gruner Veltliner are not really rare, though certainly not in the mainstream.) But get past that, and you are in for a real treat, and a look at a world most of us know little about.
There hundreds of lesser-known wine grapes out there, many tied to a specific place and culture, many tied in important ways to wine’s history, and to ours. And many offer flavors that most of us have never experienced. There is an ongoing tension between those who want to preserve those varieties and the flavors, history, and cultures they represent, and those who want to capitalize on the more familiar, easier-to-sell varieties, often by pulling up and replacing the lesser-known grapes.
By drinking beyond the familiar varieties - the Cabernets, Merlots, Chardonnays, Pinots Noirs and Sauv Blancs, all the “usual suspects” – perhaps we can help preserve this wonderful and complex world, a world much more fascinating than that favorite bottle of Cabernet even hints at.
This book is a great place to begin – and a fun, deep dive into the other side of wine.
So when the book opened with the author having a meal in a Swiss village, tasting obscure wines with the cofounder of a French non-profit whose mission is to rescue indigenous grapes from extinction and a botanist who is a coauthor of “Wine Grapes,” I was hooked.
The book is as much the story of the author’s journey of discovery as it is of the grapes. He is not a traditional “wine writer,” and wears his outsider credentials proudly. Despite an incredible amount of information that will appeal to the wine geeks, he writes in a way that will not put off people who do not read traditional wine magazines.
Early on he does take some odd side trips (Pokemon Go????) and makes seemingly unnecessary concessions to readers who are not familiar with wine literature (as, “Again, stick with me, this can be a good thing” after tasting notes that mention something other than fruit flavors.)
And certainly one could quibble about some of his selections of obscure grapes (Cabernet Franc, Gewürztraminer, Petite Sirah and Gruner Veltliner are not really rare, though certainly not in the mainstream.) But get past that, and you are in for a real treat, and a look at a world most of us know little about.
There hundreds of lesser-known wine grapes out there, many tied to a specific place and culture, many tied in important ways to wine’s history, and to ours. And many offer flavors that most of us have never experienced. There is an ongoing tension between those who want to preserve those varieties and the flavors, history, and cultures they represent, and those who want to capitalize on the more familiar, easier-to-sell varieties, often by pulling up and replacing the lesser-known grapes.
By drinking beyond the familiar varieties - the Cabernets, Merlots, Chardonnays, Pinots Noirs and Sauv Blancs, all the “usual suspects” – perhaps we can help preserve this wonderful and complex world, a world much more fascinating than that favorite bottle of Cabernet even hints at.
This book is a great place to begin – and a fun, deep dive into the other side of wine.
September 6, 2025
I am a self-admitted wino with a pretty deep wine cellar. In fact, my doctoral degree used wine as a lens for theological reflection. I appreciate Wilson's journey through the underappreciated corner of the world of wine. His reflections read somewhat like a travelogue of wine exploration and discovery. It was not lost on me that the book seems to be an "I'll show you" to the guru's guru of all things wine-related, Robert Parker. Parker once blustered that the "obscure wines" made by new winemakers and sought-after by younger wine drinkers are made from "godforsaken grapes" that are not fit for winemaking. Even as a somewhat "older" wine drinker, I very much appreciate the jab at Parker – his condescension really has no place in the wonderful world of wine.
Wilson's "slightly tipsy journey" was delightful to read, and I found many similarities to many of my own wine adventures. His writing captured his enthusiasm – which is contagious! His journeys revealed several new wines to me... which sets me on journeys to now find some of them.
However, the book really is more about Wilson's travels than the wines themselves. I was expecting more reflections on the "strange, obscure, and underappreciated wine" than the "slightly tipsy journey."
Having said that, the book was definitely a good read and I would recommend it to other oenophiles as well as curious travelers.
Wilson's "slightly tipsy journey" was delightful to read, and I found many similarities to many of my own wine adventures. His writing captured his enthusiasm – which is contagious! His journeys revealed several new wines to me... which sets me on journeys to now find some of them.
However, the book really is more about Wilson's travels than the wines themselves. I was expecting more reflections on the "strange, obscure, and underappreciated wine" than the "slightly tipsy journey."
Having said that, the book was definitely a good read and I would recommend it to other oenophiles as well as curious travelers.
May 13, 2018
I received a copy of this in a Goodreads giveaway and it has not affected my review.
This is such a cool idea for a book, I think it would make a great gift for any wine lovers you know. The author has an entertaining voice and takes you all over the world as you learn about all kinds of wine as well as wine history and wine pop culture. As the title says, it's all about the wines you probably haven't heard of. The biggest takeaway for me is definitely how small a percentage of grape varieties the typical wine drinker knows about and encounters - there's so much out there!
I recommend that, just as you would sip a wine, you read a chapter or two at a time rather than trying to read straight through. This is a fun book to read when you want a bit of armchair adventure and it will definitely inspire a trip or two to the nearest wine store. Cheers!
This is such a cool idea for a book, I think it would make a great gift for any wine lovers you know. The author has an entertaining voice and takes you all over the world as you learn about all kinds of wine as well as wine history and wine pop culture. As the title says, it's all about the wines you probably haven't heard of. The biggest takeaway for me is definitely how small a percentage of grape varieties the typical wine drinker knows about and encounters - there's so much out there!
I recommend that, just as you would sip a wine, you read a chapter or two at a time rather than trying to read straight through. This is a fun book to read when you want a bit of armchair adventure and it will definitely inspire a trip or two to the nearest wine store. Cheers!
November 18, 2019
While this book is different and occasionally interesting, mostly, I was troubled by what to do with all this information. “Unsystematic” is how another reviewer described it, and I agree. He mentioned scores of wines that aren’t the noble few, and I think my only takeaway is to keep trying wines from grapes I am not familiar with. Another takeaway might be to be to travel to Europe and try the local wines. That’s how I learned to love Lagrein, in the Italian Dolomites.
I listened on audio, and was put off by the reader’s awful German pronunciation. But I suppose that inadvertently (or intentionally) reinforces the book’s odd insistence that German wine names are frightening. Sigh.
I’m somewhere around two or three stars, but chose two for this review.
I listened on audio, and was put off by the reader’s awful German pronunciation. But I suppose that inadvertently (or intentionally) reinforces the book’s odd insistence that German wine names are frightening. Sigh.
I’m somewhere around two or three stars, but chose two for this review.
March 8, 2021
Part travelogue, part history, part personal journey all through the lens of a kaleidoscope of lesser known (in most cases) wine grapes. A fun, meandering journey through the riches on offer as opposed to a serious study of, or systematic approach to, the literally hundreds of "ignoble" grapes grown and vinified around the world. While some of the commentary is more focused on the American wine consumer it should have wide appeal to anyone with more than a passing interest in wine and particularly for these who are seeking to drink a little more off the well trodden path. At the very least it's inspired me to order a case or two of some different drops ... I'll let you know how the Timorasso and Zweigelt go.
February 17, 2019
Refreshing and Fascinating read for the novice and expert alike
I really enjoyed Mr. Wilson's honest and candid insight into his personal wine journey. I'm a bartender at a natural wine focused bar in Chicago, so not unfamiliar with obscure varietals and the perils of introducing them to the general public. The writer is neither judgemental nor forgiving in his analysis and i really appreciated that. The fact is Robert Parker is a member of a shrinking demographic of the willfully ignorant few, clinging to the elitist and exclusionary values of antiquity. Unfortunately these people exist in every part of American society. Natural wine is the future!!!
I really enjoyed Mr. Wilson's honest and candid insight into his personal wine journey. I'm a bartender at a natural wine focused bar in Chicago, so not unfamiliar with obscure varietals and the perils of introducing them to the general public. The writer is neither judgemental nor forgiving in his analysis and i really appreciated that. The fact is Robert Parker is a member of a shrinking demographic of the willfully ignorant few, clinging to the elitist and exclusionary values of antiquity. Unfortunately these people exist in every part of American society. Natural wine is the future!!!
April 16, 2024
This book is basically a memoir that revolves around the author’s experiences traveling the world to learn about obscure grapes.
It’s not an educational textbook, but you can learn quite a bit about wine from it. It can also change your perspective on wine.
I think this book is a good read for people interested and food, travel and memoirs. I enjoyed it, especially the first half. Towards the end I felt like the writing got sloppy. Whereas the first few chapters read like individual stories with precise narratives, the final chapters read more like notes where the author simply lists grapes he tasted, places he visited and people he met without a clear narrative.
It’s not an educational textbook, but you can learn quite a bit about wine from it. It can also change your perspective on wine.
I think this book is a good read for people interested and food, travel and memoirs. I enjoyed it, especially the first half. Towards the end I felt like the writing got sloppy. Whereas the first few chapters read like individual stories with precise narratives, the final chapters read more like notes where the author simply lists grapes he tasted, places he visited and people he met without a clear narrative.
January 18, 2019
I applaud the goal of the author to introduce his readers to "weirdo" grapes. And he does seem to have a knack for meeting with winemakers all over Europe to discuss their work with indigenous grapes. I did learn a few new things about some grapes I didn't know about before. However, I feel like the book set a really low bar for previous wine knowledge. As a WSET diploma student, I was already aware of most of the "weirdo" grapes the author breathlessly describes. Still, he tells a good tale, and the book is a fun read. A treatise, however, it is not.
May 25, 2020
Such a fun read! If you are looking for a ponderous, exhaustive and exhausting discussion of rare wines, this is not going to satisfy your needs. If you are interested in reading about great wine-drinking experiences in tremendous locations, and the all-over weirdness of the world of wine and the geeks who inhabit that world, then you will have as much fun with this book as I did.
My only regret is that it didn't come with samples!
My only regret is that it didn't come with samples!
October 10, 2023
Both entertaining and extremely informational, this book really appealed to the geeky side of the wine lover in me. I felt like a proud student when Jason writes about some obscure fact that I already knew & I was an eager student to learn more interesting and obscure facts about wines. I knew nothing about. I enjoyed his travels, his "must try one suggestions", and his sense of humor. Education is important & this is a really fun education! Cheers
March 29, 2018
I was a First Read Winner of this book, and I found it very informative and entertaining. Initially I entered the contest to win the book for my husband since he knows way more than me about wine, but I ended up reading it as well. This would make a wonderful present for any wine connoisseur or for anybody who wants to know more about the subject.
May 28, 2019
Godforsaken Grapes is well written and entertaining account of author Jason Wilson's search for strange, obscure, and underappreciated wines or more specifically wines made from rare and/or obscure grape varieties. Along the way we hear of his travels and interactions with the winemakers.
I received a free review copy of Godforsaken Grapes through Goodreads Giveaways.
I received a free review copy of Godforsaken Grapes through Goodreads Giveaways.
September 1, 2019
As reviews have said previous, it is a personal narratove of the authors wine travails about Europe. This simply and perfectly provided a vehicle through which to transport the reader into the land of little known grape varietals and his opinion of their flavors and smells. I loved it and appreciated the narrative because I don't always want a book on wine structured like Wine Folly.
February 14, 2020
I try and read at least one wine book a year. I'm really glad I chose this one! Most fit in somewhere between okay and pretty decent. With the mix of travel writing along with an enjoyable sense of the insider's industry this book was really fun for me. I learned things and it succeeded in making me want to travel and drink the wines wherever I land.
July 20, 2020
This book really is a love letter to wine and I really enjoyed it. The author also shares a bit about himself and his adventures with wine which I think makes it more enjoyable and not just a book on wine. After reading this book I feel like I have note even come close to tasting all the wonderful wines out in the world. My wine journey begins now, thanks to this lovely book.
December 2, 2020
I think it's hard for me to evaluate this book, as I'm not much of a wine person. Most of it was still engaging, even for someone unfamiliar with wine. It inspired me to look for something different next time I grab a bottle. Some of the authors stories were a little repetitive - went to a cool location, met a winery owner, drank their wine, enjoyed it.
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