Brendan A. Galipeau: <i>Crafting a Tibetan Terroir: Winemaking in Shangri-La</i> University of Washington Press, 2024, 225 pp., ISBN 978-0295753362 (softcover), $35.00.

If you are seeking a comprehensive guide to China's emerging wine terroirs-complete with detailed producer profiles, viticultural practices, and technical tasting notes-this may not be the book for you.However, if your interests lie in the complex sociocultural and historical forces that have shaped viticulture in the Tibetan region of China, particularly through the intersections of Catholic colonial missions, Tibetan traditions, and shifting political landscapes, then this work may offer significant value.The term "Shangri-La" originated in British author James Hilton's 1933 novel Lost Horizon, but it was not until 2001 that the Chinese government officially renamed a city in the Tibetan region Shangri-La, a move intended to promote tourism.Following the opening of the area to foreign investment in 2008, capital began flowing into various sectors, including viticulture.Modern winemaking in Shangri-La, however, dates back to the 19th century, introduced by French and Swiss Catholic missionaries who required grapes to produce sacramental wine.While the history of colonialism in Asia-indeed, globally-is complex and difficult, it is likely that without the presence of these missionary efforts, a substantive wine industry would not have taken root in the region.That said, there is some evidence suggesting that grape cultivation in the area predates even these influences, with records indicating viticultural activity as early as 1374.Traditionally, wine has not been a staple of Tibetan alcoholic culture, and the Chinese are historically more associated with beer and baijiu.Among Tibetans, the most enduring alcoholic beverage is chang, a barley beer that archaeological findings suggest has been brewed in the region since at least 2500 BC.Today, much of the barley once used for beer is diverted toward the distillation of qiang, a local spirit.Still, there are signs of innovation: microbreweries, such as Shangri-La Beer Farmhouse, are experimenting with small-batch production and cask-finishing techniques, including the use of barrels sourced from Mot.