These Are The 150 Vineyards You Need To See Before You Die
Author Shana Clarke talks to TGI about her new book; future projects; and what she's drinking when she's not drinking wine!
It is said that if you do what you love, then you will never have to work a day in your life. That saying is definitely false. When you do what you love, you work hard, you work all hours and you’re exhausted — but it always yields incredible results. Especially when you work in wine!
Such is the story of Shana Clarke, a wine-industry veteran who left her job in fashion to pursue her passion for wine. An established and admired wine journalist and content creator, Clarke has penned a new book that profiles some of the most beautiful vineyards from all over the world.
She spoke to The Gourmet Insider about the process behind writing “150 Vineyards You Need To Visit Before You Die”; what she’s drinking when she’s not drinking wine; and if she got to taste wine from all of the vineyards she profiled for the book.
The Gourmet Insider: Congratulations on the book. What inspired you to write "150 Vineyards You Need To See Before You Die?"
Shana Clarke: I was actually commissioned by my publisher, Lannoo. They somehow found me and emailed me out of the blue asking if I would be interested in writing it. I actually thought it was a spam email at first, but then I realized it was a legitimate offer. They do an entire series based around “150 X you need to see/do before you die” and this was their first foray into wine. Needless to say, I was very flattered.
TGI: What was the process for writing this book? Did you get to go to every vineyard? Did you have to go through tons of submissions?
SC: It was a lot, and in a rather short time frame (less than 6 months). I first had to make my list of 150, which was daunting. I had ideas, but as I started, my editor also asked if I could include vineyards in Belgium and the Netherlands as they are based there and have a big reach. It threw me, but in a funny way, it gave me more direction for the book.