Writing these acknowledgements was actually the toughest part of this book. How could I make this text beat like my grateful heart? Listing names seems so inadequate, so I hope that we can all get together for some great glasses of wine�that's the only way I can convey my deepest thanks to the people to whom I owe so much.

I couldn't have written any of these stories without the help of the generous souls who invited me into their wineries, their stores, their restaurants and their thoughts: Aubert de Villaine, Lalou Bize-Leroy, Anne-Claude Leflaive, Frédéric Drouhin, Randall Grahm, Camille Seghesio, Pete Seghesio, Frédéric Panaïotis, Delphine Cazals, Martine Lorson, Christian Dennis, Gérard Liger-Belair, Marianne Barbier, Thierry Gasco, Jancis Robinson MW, Robert Parker, Kermit Lynch, Chuck Hayward, Ellisa Cooper, Georg Riedel, Robyn Osgood, Shelley Page, Shirley McGregor-Ford, Natasha Thiessen, Debi Rosati, Debbie Trenholm, Lisa Courtney-Lloyd, Danielle Dupont and Jay McInerney.

In a book about wine, especially your first one, there are thousands of facts that you can screw up. I'd like to thank everyone who saved me from embarrassment with their technical expertise and nuanced understanding of this subject. A toast to: Steve Beckta, Dave Brackett, James Chatto, Kent Currie, Evan Goldstein MS, Elspeth Murray, Véronique Rivest, Igor Ryjenkov MW, Brian Schmidt, Larry Stone MS, John Szabo MS, Debbie Trenholm and Greg Tresner MS. Their comments and corrections made me realize how much more I still have to learn about wine. Any remaining errors are entirely my own.

I am also deeply indebted to all those who patiently answered round after round of my questions: Michael Aaron, Laurent Barbier, Eric Benn, Jacques Berthomeau, Michael Brajkovich MW, Brigitte Batonnet, Phil Bilodeau, Nathalie Bloch-Marlet, Robert Bohr, Donald Bull, Phillip Casella, Jean-Marie Chadronnier, Ann Colgin, Bill Deutsch, Dr. Curt Ellison , Marc Engel, Mario Evangelista, Cécile Fichet, Paul Freese, Kristin Gelder, John Gillespie, Charles Goemaere, Jamie Goode , Charles Grieco, Paige Granback, Frédéric Heidsieck, Gladys Horiuchi, Julie Ann Kodmur, Mahesh Kumar, Rémi Krug, Dr. Adrienne Lehrer, Dr. Larry Lockshin, Angela Lyons, Christian Maille, Tom Matthews, François Mauss, Elin McCoy, Dr. Carole Meredith, Dr. David Mills, Dr. Ann Noble, Renate Peer , Joel Peterson, Marie-Emmanuelle Peyronne, Dr. Serge Renaud , Mary Ellen Ryan, Delphine Rigall, Michel Rolland, Veronique Sanders, Floribeth Schumacher, Margaret Stern, Kristina Streeter , Jan Stuebing, Sean Thackrey, Mary Ann Vangrin, Dr. Andrew Waterhouse and Dr. Paul White.

For their assistance with the daunting task of planning the logistics of my trips abroad, I would like to acknowledge the help of Nelly Blau Picard, Sam Heitner, Marie-Elaine Hvizdak, Paula Oreskovich, Florence Raffard , Margaret Shepard, Philippe Wibrotte and Kim Wiss.

I would be a jellyfish without the backbone of my supportive assistants, Daisy Marcellana and Erin Bolling. Their incredible work ethic allowed me to focus on this book.

I'd like to thank the editors in my journalistic life who have given me a shot at this career: Rosa Harris-Adler, Arjun Basu, Selby Bateman, Iris Benaroia, Val Berenyi, Roger Bird, Ann Brocklehurst, Sarah Brown, Rosanna Caira, John Clark, Dré Dee, David Dehaas, Donna Dooher, Jody Dunn, Barbara Fairchild, Lianne George, Line Goguen-Hughes, Jim Gourlay, Pat Holtz, Jaimie Hubbard, Carol Jankowski, Randy Johnson, Carolyn Kennedy, Peggy McKee, Sheilagh McEvenue, Liz Mezaros, Linda Murphy, Liz Payne, Charlene Rooke, Rita Silvan, Trish Snyder, Tanya Steel, Andrea Stewart, Beth Tomkiw, Kylie Walker and Heather White. They helped me to hone my craft and gave me the confidence to take on this project.

In a category of her own is Antonia Morton, whom I affectionately call my personal word trainer. Antonia has read everything I have ever written professionally�buffing and polishing it before the world saw it.

This book would never have been conceived without the enthusiastic support of my publishers Mary Davis, Rosemary Davidson, Colin Dickerman, Brad Martin, Maya Mavjee, Karen Rinaldi and Jacqueline Smit. They were all remarkably visionary to see what could be created from the original proposal.

I owe an incalculable debt (and many great bottles) to my editors Kathy Belden and Lara Hinchberger who prodded, praised, coaxed and consoled me along with their impeccable good taste and judgment. I couldn't have asked for better guidance.

Steve Boldt did a masterful job of copyediting the manuscript. Without the suggested title from Panio Gianapoulas, this book might have been called A Book About Wine . Once the book was finished, publicists Maya Baran, Stephanie Gowan and Sara Mercurio breathed new life into it with their supreme media relations skills. Also making essential contributions to this project were Brian Ajhar, Randy Chan, Lisa Charters, Kristin Cochrane, Barb Dunn, Ron Eckel, Sabrina Farber, Marlene Fraser, Mike Fuhr, Val Gow, Amy King, Annik Lafarge and Greg Villepique.

I am grateful to my agent, Jackie Kaiser, who believed in this book from the beginning, back when it was just a glint on a wine glass. Her delight in words is contagious. Jackie is, and always has been, steadfast and gracious.

On a personal note, I'd especially like to thank my mother Ann MacLean, my husband, Andrew Waitman and my son, Rian�all of whom have lived with this manuscript for so long that they have it memorized. I'm grateful to my mom for so many things (starting with my DNA). She voluntarily came out of retirement to be my full-time fact-checker when she wasn't moonlighting as my emotional counselor. When I grow up, I hope to be as dignified and decent as she is. Andrew has always believed in my career�at times, more than I did myself. He is the guardian angel of this book and of my dreams. And then there is Rian, whose name I cannot say without feeling hugged. Thank you, my precious son, for bringing such joy into my life and for spending so many hours playing quietly alone beside my desk because mommy had to write just one more page .

I raise my glass to you all!