Wines of the Graves By Pamela Vandyke Price
Wines of the Graves By Pamela Vandyke Price (Collectible First Edition Copy)
The Definitive Monograph and Authoritative Guide to the "Cradle of Claret" in Southwest France
The Definitive Monograph and Authoritative Guide to the "Cradle of Claret" in Southwest France
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Wines of the Graves
- Author: Pamela Vandyke Price
- Publisher: Sotheby's Publications / Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd, London
- Publication Date: 1988
- ISBN-10: 085667334X
- ISBN-13: 9780856673344
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Printing (Collectible Oenological Monograph)
- Binding: Original publisher's premium hardcover cloth boards, complete with the original illustrated dust jacket, now beautifully preserved and stabilized inside a clear Cellophane archival sleeve.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), 192 pages. Richly enhanced with specialized regional maps of the gravel terroirs, estate-by-estate classification matrices, and archival production statistics.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus to Near Mint (VG+/NM)
- Exterior / Boards: The original publisher's cloth casing remains in spectacular, flat, and sharp-cornered condition. The spine text is perfectly crisp, bright, and completely undamaged at the head and tail bands, leaving the spine looking perfect and unbent.
- Interior: The inner hinges and binding are pristine and tight. Internal pages are completely clean, crisp, white, and intact. Free from standard consumer ink inscriptions, vineyard stains, or dealer pencil annotations.
- Preservation: This volume has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. It is now protected with a clear Cellophane cover to shield the binding from future edge wear.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition: Present, complete, and unclipped. Displays only some very slight, microscopic signs of storage shelf friction along the corners and upper margins. Beautifully consolidated, bright, and seamlessly displayed beneath the archival Cellophane cover.
Synopsis & Viticultural Value
Published in 1988 by Sotheby's Publications, Wines of the Graves stands as an essential reference work dedicated exclusively to the region widely celebrated as the historic "cradle of claret." Written by the highly esteemed Pamela Vandyke Price, this meticulously researched guide explores the unique gravel terroirs, distinct wines, and colorful history of this vital corner of southwest France.
The book details the evolution of Graves from its ancient Roman origins and long-standing English trade connections into the modern era of production. Price delivers exhaustive, expert assessments of traditional and modern vinification methods, individual chateaux profiles—covering both the legendary grand crus and the smaller, lesser-known family estates—and the complex local regulations. This highly sought-after, classic monograph remains an essential reference guide and a cornerstone collectible for sommeliers, serious oenophiles, and collectors of historic viticultural literature.
Author Profile: Pamela Vandyke Price
Pamela Vandyke Price (1923–2014) was one of the 20th century’s most distinguished, formidable, and influential British wine writers and journalists. Educated at Somerville College, Oxford, she became the first woman to write about wine for a major national newspaper, serving as the wine correspondent for The Times. A prolific author of over twenty books, a founding member of the Circle of Wine Writers, and a commander of France's Ordre du Mérite Agricole, she was widely celebrated for her sharp wit, deep academic rigor, and uncompromising standards. Her meticulous, single-region monographs remain highly respected benchmarks in oenological scholarship.
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