endnote references that add value to this resource. Gunn answers the questionposed in his title with a possible resounding ‘‘yes!’’ Those in a position to makeit a reality should certainly read this book; the rest of us ‹ will be watching hope-fully as the saga continues.

Daniel Erkkila: University of Minnesota Tourism Center, Grand Rapids MN 55744,USA. Email <erkkila@umn.edu>

Assigned 20 June 2004. Submitted 13 May 2005. Accepted 25 May 2005

doi:10.1016/j.annals.2005.05.002

Wine: A Global BusinessEdited by Liz Thach and Tim Matz. Miranda Press <www.miranda.com>2004, ix + 235 pp (references, index, illustrations) $39.95 Pbk. ISBN0-9715870-2-7

Peter WilliamsSimon Fraser University, Canada

Although many publications exist that eloquently describe the location andabundance of wineries, information concerning the strategic and operational char-acteristics of the wine industry is relatively limited. A growing glut of grapes, anexplosion in new wineries and aspiring owners, an unprecedented number of cor-porate business mergers, an unimaginable increase in the number and distributionof global brands, and the emergence of wine tourism have all intensified the needfor information concerning these trends and strategic approaches to addressingthem.

This book provides global and local perspectives on how businesses are strategi-cally addressing competitive forces in the wine industry. It offers valuable insightsinto those strategies and practices being employed to create more sustainable andviable ventures. While organized around core components of traditional businessmanagement strategy, the book’s content is sufficiently focused on its themes tonot be yet another business text. Each chapter illustrates how traditional businessmanagement principles are being adapted to the peculiarities of the industry. Top-ics discussed reach from global issues (such as emerging consumer markets) towinery taxation matters (winery capitalization strategy). Readers become acutelyaware that while this business has a glamorous facade, the success of individualoperations is dependent on addressing some very challenging business realities.

Almost all of the examples and perspectives presented are offered from a NewWorld perspective, free from the burden of wine history and tradition. While thisviewpoint is revealing and provides a good basis for comparative analyses, there is a

Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 1152–1153, 2005Printed in Great Britain

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worrying dismissive tone to the authors’ reactions to Old World practices. Indeed,the longer term benefits of New World consumer-designed versus Old Worldterroir -based wine production strategies have yet to be settled in the market place.Given the continued dominance of wine exports from Old World (a 64% marketshare in 2001), it may not be prudent to discount its approaches too soon.

Despite the fact that wine tourism is noted as an important strategic option forwineries, surprisingly little direct attention is afforded to it in the book. Notwith-standing this deficiency, there are numerous discussions in the text that have indi-rect relevance to its management. In particular, the book’s discussion ofapproaches to product and market positioning, branding, diversification, and envi-ronmental management are applicable to a variety of wine tourism and otheragritourism management situations.

For researchers, the book’s most important insights are associated with descrip-tions of wine industry corporatization trends. The authors suggest that ongoingglobal consolidation trends are not only reshaping production and managementpractices, but are also reconfiguring the competitiveness of independent wineryoperations. As is frequently the case with corporate business practices, the unique-ness of geographic places and practices are increasingly being traded off for otherbusiness priorities to the detriment of local values and traditions. For example, if inthe interests of economies of scale, risk reduction, and product distribution effi-ciencies, corporations promote the appeal of placeless global wine brands, the de-mand for locations with alluring terroir and unique wines may be jeopardized.Discussion of such implications is not mentioned in the book.

Despite consisting of contributions of several authors, the editors have tightlyintegrated these contributions into a cohesive discussion. Each chapter is jammedfull with relevant examples. Tables and figures are currently up to date and veryinformative. However, the rapidly changing nature of wine market performanceand corporate business acquisitions will make some of them obsolete relativelysoon. The authors are credible academic or professional practitioners, who havemade this publication a quick and easy read. The book is particularly appropriatefor students pursuing business management, viticulture, and entrepreneurshipcourses; wine industry operators developing more competitive management strat-egies; and rural development advisors promoting innovative forms of wine industryenterprise.

Peter Williams: Centre for Tourism Policy and Research, Simon Fraser University,Burnaby BC, CanadaV7T 2G4. Email <peter_williams@sfu.ca>

Assigned 3 March 2005. Submitted 28 March 2005. Resubmitted 5 April 2005. Accepted 14 April2005

doi:10.1016/j.annals.2005.04.006

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