Local Vino

James R. Pennell is a professor of sociology at the University of Indianapolis. He is also a lifelong musician and singer-songwriter who regularly performs in Central Indiana.

"Over the past generation or so, wine has become part of life in the American Midwest--not only in restaurants and home kitchens, but also on farms and in vineyards throughout the region. In this book, James Pennell tells the story of how, and most important, why, this has happened. As with the vintners he profiles, his is clearly a labor of love."--Paul Lukacs, author of Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the World's Most Ancient Pleasures"James Pennell has written an interesting book, Local Vino: The Winery Boom in the Heartland, about a surprising phenomenon: the rapid growth of wineries in the Midwest of the United States in the last three decades."--Contemporary Sociology  "Pennell's book presents a nuanced look at the industry. It is sure to interest professional and casual readers alike."--Annals of Iowa

• CoverTitle PageCopyrightContentsAcknowledgments1. Getting Together at the Local Winery2. The Long Road to the Midwestern Winery Boom3. More than Marketplaces: The Attraction of Local Wineries4. Becoming a Midwestern Vintner5. Wineries Are Work: Going "Backstage"6. Organizing the Midwest Wine Industry to Address Challenges7. The Challenges of Identity and Quality8. Local Vino and Mondovino: Midwestern Wineries in the Global ContextReferencesIndex