Word: torelli
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...whiskey, the grape farmers in Bill Barich's first novel, Carson Valley (Pantheon; 337 pages; $25), would not have to work as hard as they do. Slaking the thirst of the growing number of wine drinkers takes time and muscle. So where does Arthur Atwater, manager of Victor Torelli's vineyard, find the energy to have a grand cru romance with Anna, the boss's daughter? From the same source of instinctive vitality that drives every other plant and creature in California's wantonly fertile Sonoma County...
...generations and cultures. But Carson Valley is not just another brand of romantic plonk. Barich is a social realist with a fine feel for the similarities between agriculture and love. Both require risk and constant cultivation with no guarantee of success. That is not lost on Arthur and Anna Torelli, who have gone through divorces and are skittish about new commitments. Added to the mix are elements of lonely-guy touchiness and status. He is a hired hand who lives in a trailer; she is a modern Ms. with a summa cum laude degree from Berkeley. When not visiting...