Downhill

Cycling Through A River of Wine

In Benjamin MarksÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢ Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?"Downhill,Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?Â? Austin Musgraves is an American cyclist from Colorado and a former leading competitor in the Tour de France. He is caught up in an aimless moment-to-moment existence as he rides his bike up and down the peaks of the Savoie region of the French Alps by day and then sinks into a wine-soaked stupor by night. His wanderings are punctuated with one-night stands. ItÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢s all an attempt to shut out his frustration and shame, and the whispers and sidelong looks by some who recognize him for the accomplishments of his past, but also by others who know he compromised himself and threw it all away.

As he tools along a mountain road in the summer heat, he meets up with his old friend and rival Guillaume in a chance encounter. After a one-on-one race to the next town, an afternoon of hard riding, and an evening of drinking, the two begin touring together. Their destination is a party at an estate in the vineyards of Beaujolais, where they will meet up with Claire, GuillaumeÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢s girlfriend.

With Claire, the duo becomes a trio, as they bike to a destination in Burgundy, a wine chÃ?Æ'Ã?¢teau where they dine and drink several wines. The wine classifications and vintages are all news to Austin, whose wine background has been limited to the cheap bottles that have been getting him drunk each night. When they move on from dinner to a lavish party, and Claire and Guillaume quickly slip away, Austin finds himself attracted to Regina, a striking woman who returns his interest.

Austrian aristocrat Regina is a Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?"NÃ?Æ'Ã?©gociant,Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?Â? a winemaker who caters to wealthy American businessmen customers. Austin and Regina quickly become lovers, and she schools him further on the particulars of wines and the wine trade. He slips into the role of host at her tasting events, and as an American athlete, the customers can connect with and relate to, boosts her sales and orders. She provides an appropriate wardrobe, and he moves into her apartment in Beaune, in the heart of Burgundy. He delivers orders to clients and takes them on bicycling jaunts through wine country.

In addition to crates of wine, Austin finds himself delivering other unknown items for Regina, always late at night. When he is followed one night, his doubts beginÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦

As he starts to put the pieces together about Regina, he meets Reece, another wealthy woman who is ReginaÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢s polar opposite. Austin also meets up again with Guillaume, who invites him to join him in Chamonix, a high Alps skiing and mountaineering center, where he will be spending the winter with his wife and daughter Ã?¢ââ??¬" whose existence is a surprise to Austin. When Austin decides to join Guillaume in Chamonix, Reece angrily tells him to go. Life-changing events take place in Chamonix that winter, and when spring rolls around, Austin is back on his bike, pedaling through the mountains, but then Reece tracks him downÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦

Author Benjamin Marks has put together a novel that revolves around French wine culture and the regions where some of its most celebrated wines are produced. It seems clear that the author is quite knowledgeable about both wine and France.

Through reading the book, I learned some new things about wine, was able to visualize the picturesque settings, could imagine the luxurious and delicious meals that were sometimes described, and got an inkling of some of the rituals familiar to dedicated wine aficionados. Reading this book makes it clear that an extended trip around the French wine regions would probably be a fabulous vacation.

Austin, his protagonist, can be a sympathetic figure at times, but his character flaws can also make him hard to like. As a man who seems to be wandering aimlessly after a severe comedown that he has yet to come to terms with, and with no real visible means of support, he is something of an antihero. ItÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢s not clear if he has experienced any true personal growth through his experiences, which feels disappointing, but he is not truly a bad person, perhaps just a weak one.

Regina is clearly vile, unprincipled, and manipulative. When Austin realizes who and what she is and breaks up with her, it is probably his best moment. I hoped it would be a turning point in his character. When he became involved with Reece, I cheered him on.

This book seems to have several distinct sections: Austin and Regina, Austin and Reece, and Austin and Guillaume. The segue is not entirely smooth, and the ending was a surprise, though it leaves the door open for another installment, where perhaps Austin could truly redeem himself. But that remains to be seen.

Readers who enjoy French wine, fine food, and French culture are likely to enjoy this Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?"DownhillÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?Â? by Benjamin Marks. Cyclists and skiers will relate to AustinÃ?¢ââ??‰â??¢s interests. There are many intimate scenes, so readers should be comfortable with those, and since heavy, even excessive, drinking takes place at times that is another point of awareness. The descriptions can be quite graphic.