A Fool and Forty Acres: Conjuring a Vineyard Three Thousand Miles from Burgundy

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

A little bit of history, a touch of geography, lots of viticulture, and
a thread of personal experiences are blended in this account of a modern
back-to-the-land venture. Heinricks left the city to start a winery in
Prince Edward County in southeastern Ontario. Since his work as a
freelance writer was portable, he was able to start a vineyard from
scratch, learning the vintner’s trade by a largely self-taught,
trial-and-error approach.

Prince Edward County is not a traditional area for vineyards, and much
of the text is given to explaining, in detail, why its rocky soil should
be suitable for Pinot Noir, the history of “cult” wines from the
area, and the many challenges presented by the soil and weather. As
Heinricks explains his struggles with grafting, birds, voles, raccoons,
insect pests, and pesticides, he paints a picture of the brutal physical
work involved in being a slave to the vines.

Thanks to its step-by-step detail, this book will be fascinating to
would-be micro-vineyard owners. Unfortunately the style is self-absorbed
and lacks the flair or warmth needed to draw in the general reader. The
human-interest thread is there, but it’s rather thin; there’s little
emotional involvement, which limits the book’s appeal for the reader
of general back-to-the-land narratives.