Terroir: the role of geology, climate and culture in the making of French wine

R. Metcalfe and C. A. Rochelle (eds). Geological Society, London. Special Publication No. 157, 1999. £75 (Geol. Soc. members £35). 288pp. ISBN 1-86239-040-1.

This recent addition to the Geological Society's Special publication series contains papers resulting from a meeting of the Geochemistry Group of the Mineralogical and Geological Societies in September 1996. It's a pity that it has taken so long to get into print, although the scientific content is as relevant and timely now as it was 4 years ago.

The aim of the meeting was to unify understanding of the role of chemical containment in the design …