A world made up of many men and women who have had the courage to follow their intuitions thanks to the gaze of Robert V. Camuto, for many years an international contributor to Wine Spectator, resident in Italy, and a careful observer of these dynamics.
What drives a winemaker to plant a vineyard where no one else would? How much courage does it take to question a family tradition, revive a forgotten grape variety, or bet on a territory the market seems to have forgotten? These questions are answered in Genius and Madness in the Glass , Robert V. Camuto's new book.
An American journalist and writer with a profound knowledge of Italian food and wine culture, Camuto has chosen to write about wine by focusing on people, giving space to many Italian producers, as well as some of the most renowned names in French wine, and even John Malkovich , who became a winemaker in Provence. The result is a gallery of authentic portraits , constructed through years of encounters, travels, visits to wineries, and conversations with those who, often against everyone's will, have decided to pursue their own vision.
It is precisely this perspective that makes the book special: that of an international journalist with an in-depth knowledge of the sector , recognizing its contradictions and appreciating its extraordinary capacity for reinvention. Camuto observes the protagonists with the curiosity of someone arriving from abroad, but also with the sensitivity of someone who has found their roots in this country. And he offers the reader a story that goes beyond wine , becoming a tale of identity, passion, perseverance, and courage.
Many stories come from Italy. From the Langhe to Sicily, from Valpolicella to Etna, from Tuscany to the Phlegraean Fields, passing through Alto Adige and Puglia, the stories span the entire peninsula . There are families who have transformed a generational divide into an opportunity for change, women who have achieved a leading role in a historically male-dominated sector, producers who have revived forgotten grape varieties and practices, entrepreneurs who have chosen to invest in challenging territories. Alongside Italy, Camuto chooses some from France: the "Pope of Champagne" Anselme Selosse, the aristocratic farmer Aubert de Villaine de la Romanée Conti, and Alexandre de Lur Saluces of Yquem fame. Finally, he dedicates a chapter to American actor John Malkovich, who produces an eccentric blend in Provence.
The title, Genius and Madness in the Glass , captures the underlying theme of the entire book: often, the difference between a visionary intuition and a seemingly irrational choice is only understood with the passage of time . What initially seems like an impossible gamble can become an example, a new production model, even a cultural shift. Camuto chronicles these very people: courageous Italians who chose to follow their own convictions rather than conform to market expectations, custom, or common sense.
The book also collects and reworks a selection of reportages that the author has signed over the years for Wine Spectator .
The volume is accompanied by an exceptional preface by Gabriele Gorelli, Andrea Lonardi, and Pietro Russo , the first three Italians to earn the title of Master of Wine . It reflects on the value of people, relationships, and the dreams behind great wines, and on the need to team up to build the future of territories.
The release also comes after Camuto received an important recognition: his previous book, Altrove a Sud , also published by Edizioni Ampelos, received a Special Mention in the Foreign Fiction category at the 2026 Vermentino National Wine and Literary Award.
BOOK INFORMATION
11/11/2026
09/11/2026
07/11/2026
06/11/2026
