First Big Crush: The Down and Dirty on Making Great Wine Down Under
The story behind the bottle, First Big Crush is Eric Arnold’s wild account of his year immersing himself in all things wine…and somehow not winding up in rehab.

Never having held a meaningful job for very long (and getting fired from most of them), Eric Arnold heads to New Zealand — to Allan Scott Wines — seeking adventure and hoping to learn a little bit about wine. What could be better than working outside in the fresh air and drinking wine all day? Before he knows it, he is dirty, wet, cold, and at the mercy of a tank of wine that just might explode and take him with it. So begin Eric’s adventures in the world of wine. He gets sunburned, sore, and drunk — and then does it all over again the next day.

First Big Crush is a story that is as outrageous as it is compelling. Here are tales of first pressings, pruning, and tasting competitions. There are also rowdy nights at the local pub, girls, meat pies, girls, rugby, and tales of hunting wild pig. Along the way, each step of the winemaking process is explained in a way that humans can actually understand. Almost against his will, Eric becomes an expert.

Customer Review: A fraternity boy’s drunken rant
Trash. I cannot believe how such a great topic was ruined by Eric Arnold’s immature writing and drinking. I was so looking forward to a wonderful informative book on NZ winemaking, but I couldn’t get past Eric’s being drunk all the time and talking like a freshman frat boy! Grow up.

Customer Review: Read the “dirty” in more than one sense
Eric Arnold spent a year in New Zealand’s Marlborough winemaking region. Years earlier he spent a day touring the area: “And from my very first sip of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at ten-thirty or so on that morning, I knew it, too — I was tasting something special. My mouth zipped and zinged, and though I couldn’t describe the flavors I was tasting, I was sure of only one thing: I wanted more. I was hammered by noon, with five wineries still to go. At one point I stole the tour guide’s microphone in the van and started singing karaoke — “The Tracks of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson — even though I didn’t know the words. I might’ve taken off my shirt, too, but I don’t remember. From winery to winery and sip to sip, the wines just got better and better. From the time I got back home to Brooklyn, whenever I was in a wine shop I either bought wine from New Zealand or asked for something similar. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was my new Hogue.”

The memory of that firts Sauvignon Blanc sticks in Arnold’s memory:

“For a few years after that trip I was still guzzling whatever New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc I could find at night, and spending my daylight hours working the copy desk at a small business magazine. It was better than working for the Nazi devil woman at PBS, but the same could probably be said for cleaning up monkey shit at the zoo (which, I imagine, is very similar to working at PBS). So out of a desire to drink more, work less, and maybe satisfy a little curiosity, up sprang the idea of just throwing myself into the lifestyle: getting a job at a winery and writing a book about it.”

Arnold initially knows nothing about winery work, but you have to admire his cheerful attitude, no matter what reality throws at him. He learns about rugby, pig hunting, and hard working rural New Zealanders. He finds two particularly difficult areas: the finer points of pitchforking and pruning winter vines in the cold fields. He concludes:

“Vineyard work sucks…I have no idea why, but many people who drink wine think that making it is some sort of relaxed, cushy lifestyle. And I don’t understand it , because I’ve never eaten a juicy steak and imagined how romantic and luxurious a life I’d have if I started raising cattle in Wyoming. Similarly, I’ve never met anyone who got a massage and moved to Sweden or shot heroin and moved to Afghanistan.”

Arnold is excellent at describing the difficulties and joys of working in a vineyard and in a winery. His language may be a bit racy for some readers, his humor a little too broad. Overall, I found the substance worth a few “Oh, grow up” moments.

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Hate earthy wines? Try one made from meteorites io9 After giving the wine some time to breathe, your friend pours a glass, swirls, sniffs, sips, and says, with a sigh, "My god, it's full of stars." And you point out that it's not stars they're tasting in that wine, but meteorite. … Meteorito — A Wine Aged With 4.5 Billion-Year-Old MeteoriteFOODBEAST all 2 news articles »

The Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris: Everyday Recipes from the Real Paris

You can spend years in Paris and never hear the same answer twice to this cookbook’s underlying question: what is the difference between a bistro, a brasserie, and a wine bar? In his third cookbook, acclaimed author and expert on all things French Daniel Young explains the nuances between the three, as he takes home cooks on a vibrant, spirited tour of Paris’s best eateries.

Daniel explains that, as true Parisians know; a bistro is a small, informal restaurant serving a few simple, hearty dishes, while a brasserie is a larger, cafe–restaurant providing continuous service and rough–and–ready food. In a wine bar, expect to find a large selection of wines by the glass and light bites to go with them.

Daniel also introduces home cooks to many of his favorite spots (some are famous, others are his own best–keep secrets) and presents classic recipes from each, including Salmon Terrine with Leeks and Pesto, Cream of Carrot Soup with Cumin, Pan–Grilled Rib Steak with Béarnaise Sauce, and Warm Almond Cake with Caramel Cream. Bistros, brasseries, and wine bars, define what it means to be out and eat out in Paris, to dine simply and very well. Theirs is the food that nourishes and sustains the Paris of Parisians – the real and everyday Paris – with local flavor, style, sophistication, personality, and attitude.

This book surpassed my expectations. The recipes are simple, yet are not things I would have ever come up with on my own. The steps to create the dishes here are very simply laid out, and require everyday ingredients that I can get at my local supermarket, yet use combinations that are intriguing and fascinatingly foreign.

Each recipe has the French name written below the dish’s title, and then has a paragraph or more describing how the flavors mingle and work together, with tips for substitutions, and background information on how/ where/ by whom the dish is usually enjoyed.

I was thrilled by this book – I expected it to be a fun diversion with a few inspirations, but the simple appetizers and small meals in this book are just the kind of easy to make but quality fare I most like to cook. This has earned a permanent place on my shelf.

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Ultimate Wine Tasting Kit

Customer Review: A Decent Gift
I purchased this as a gift and included some wine. It made a nice compliment to the wine, although I’m somewhat reluctant to say it would hold up on its own.

Customer Review: It’s very easy to keep your eye on the prize…
I found that with this kit I was able to stay focused on what to look for in each tasting. The tasting sheets helped me tremendously when there were characteristics present that I couldn’t identify. The book inside is quite easy-to-read and flip through. I loved everything about this kit and will continue to use it as a guideline in future tastings.

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Go-ahead for 1300 homes in south Adelaide Now McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association chairman Marc Allgrove. Picture: Field PR. Source: AdelaideNow WORK began yesterday at the Fairmont Homes Seaford Heights housing development. It has prompted opponents to repeat calls for laws to protect … and more »

North Korea buys into luxury – The Australian

North Korea buys into luxury The Australian Among the exports of liquor to North Korea from Hong Kong in 2010 were 839 bottles of unidentified spirits, worth an average of $159 each, and 17 bottles of "spirits obtained by distilling grape wine or grape marc" worth $145 each, according to the UN … and more »

Green Black Red: Recipes for Cooking and Enjoying California Grapes (California Table Grape Commiss)
Green, black, or red, grapes have long been the stars of the snack bowl and the wine press. Now, the versatility of the grape is explored as a key ingredient in 60 recipes for every occasion. Written by the California Table Grape Commission, this cookbook covers everything from starters and drinks to quick dinners, celebrations, and treats for the kids. Enjoy the color and freshness grapes add to chicken salad, the juicy burst of flavor with grilled chicken skewers, the sweetness provided to any dessert, and many other fabulous new ways to enjoy the fruit of the vine.

Customer Review: Love this cookbook!
Absolutely spectacular color photos, interesting recipes highlighting grapes! Beautiful cookbook, and easily a great gift. I’ve been looking at ways of incorporating grapes into recipes, and this really does the trick.

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Wine of the Week: 2009 Langmeil Barossa ‘Three Gardens’
Bring it to a holiday dinner party or give some lucky red wine lover a bottle as a gift. At about $18, it’s a bargain. Drink it with prime rib, braised lamb shanks, roasts and stews.

Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture

The history of civilization is, in many ways, the history of wine. This book is the first comprehensive and up-to-date account of the earliest stages of vinicultural history and prehistory, which extends back into the Neolithic period and beyond. Elegantly written and richly illustrated, Ancient Wine opens up whole new chapters in the fascinating story of wine and the vine by drawing upon recent archaeological discoveries, molecular and DNA sleuthing, and the texts and art of long-forgotten peoples.

Patrick McGovern takes us on a personal odyssey back to the beginnings of this consequential beverage when early hominids probably enjoyed a wild grape wine. We follow the course of human ingenuity in domesticating the Eurasian vine and learning how to make and preserve wine some 7,000 years ago. Early winemakers must have marveled at the seemingly miraculous process of fermentation. From success to success, viniculture stretched out its tentacles and entwined itself with one culture after another (whether Egyptian, Iranian, Israelite, or Greek) and laid the foundation for civilization itself. As medicine, social lubricant, mind-altering substance, and highly valued commodity, wine became the focus of religious cults, pharmacopoeias, cuisines, economies, and society. As an evocative symbol of blood, it was used in temple ceremonies and occupies the heart of the Eucharist. Kings celebrated their victories with wine and made certain that they had plenty for the afterlife. (Among the colorful examples in the book is McGovern’s famous chemical reconstruction of the funerary feast–and mixed beverage–of “King Midas.”) Some peoples truly became “wine cultures.”

When we sip a glass of wine today, we recapitulate this dynamic history in which a single grape species was harnessed to yield an almost infinite range of tastes and bouquets. Ancient Wine is a book that wine lovers and archaeological sleuths alike will raise their glasses to.

Customer Review: Very little to “wine” about
Pardon my title; this is an amazing book. Essential for anyone interested in wine history. There was the occasional repetition of certain sentences and phrases that an editor ought to have caught (I’m an editor, I notice these things) but in a nutshell the approach the author uses – “molecular archeaology” – is truly revolutionary. What I like best is that he has confirmed, once and for all, that ancient wines were distinctly different from modern wine, most importantly in the sense that they were infused with a wide variety of substances such as resins, plant matter, spices, and the like. This confirms the textual accounts that have survived, but have largely been ignored or marginalized in a number of fields.

A minor quibble: the author is surprisingly skittish on the matter of the potion of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the “kykeon” and makes no mention of works like The Road to Eleusis, and appears to take the position that the Eleusinian kykeon was a “grog” of the sort mentioned in epic poetry. This is unpersausive; grogs do not produce sublime visions, and the ingredients of the Eleusinian kykeon were water, mint, and barley. No wine was present during initiation into the Greater Mysteries, nor would one expect it given that Demeter refuses wine in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter.

Customer Review: Utterly fascinating
I cannot remember holding a book in my hands that caused me more excitement and enchantment any time recently. And the best thing of all is that it is not a fairy tale, not even a “romanticized” account of the ancient history of wine; on the contrary, with all the diligence and impartiality of a good CSI detective, this book sticks to evidence and confirmed facts. Still, it manages to weave a compelling story of how wine was intricately connected with the very origins of civilization (or, should I say, civilizations). The book is not only difficult to put down, but as a viticulture and wine educator I find it impossible to ignore when preparing teaching materials. Granted, there is still a lot of uncertainty about certain wine archaeological issues and much more work to be done, but I find that part probably the most exciting. I recommend this book to the viticulture and wine professional and enthusiast alike, as well as anybody interested in archaeology and origins of civilizations.

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2. Ancient Biblical Grape Juice And Wine Drinkers, Raisin Eaters And Teetotalers (part 1)
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Wine Grape Varieties in California
This beautifully illustrated book is a must-have for growers, vintners, and enthusiasts. Inside you ll find information on ripening periods for 53 varieties grown in California, ripening dates of varieties by period and growing district, detailed illustrations of grapevine structure, a glossary, and a bibliography. The star of the show is the discussion of the 36 major wine grape varieties grown in the state, covering synonyms, source, physical characteristics such as clusters, berries, and leaves, harvest periods and methods, and winery use. Each variety is highlighted by close-up photography of its clusters, leaves and leaf shoots 107 lush color photos in all.

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Successful Grape Growing for Eating and Wine-making

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Daily Mail

Conrad Hilton had 'marijuana and two bottles of wine in car when he crashed' Daily Mail Sgt. OC Smith of LAPD's West Traffic Division told Radar Online: 'By the time the police arrived at the scene Conrad had left but he had exchanged his details with the second driver and a witness. 'He complied with the law and as there were no known … and more »

Hugh Johnson’s the Story of Wine

Customer Review: great!
a comprehensive guide to the history of wine. grape wine that is, they don’t go much into sake or wines made from other products, though some are mentioned. it goes through many countries and time periods and was overall very readable for a history text.

Customer Review: The most delicious wine book
Hugh Johnson’s marvelous book in a partial answer to a question that few of us have had the sense to ask. While many of us will spend valuable hours wondering: `which wine?’ we rarely ask `why wine?’

What’s the big deal? Why so many books, why such intense feeling? Wine is just the fermented juice of grapes. Yes, and music is just organized noise and sex is merely one of the ways in which organisms ensure perpetuation of their type.

The reason for the passion isn’t to be found in alcohol alone. Almost any sugary solution will support fermentation, and it seems that just about every possible sweet liquid has been fermented from time to time. An amateur winemakers’ guide in my library lists recipes for the production of wines from almonds, apples, bananas, barley, beetroot, birch sap, cloves, clover, eggplant, guava, lemons, oak leaves, orange juice, parsley, parsnips, peapods, squash, tea, tomatoes, wallflowers, yarrow and yes, to complete the alphabet, zinnias.

These ‘wines’are all possible, but none of them exist. In fact, we restrict our winemaking to just a few varieties of grape. Why?
Aside from the many economic advantages, the fermented juice of grapes is delicious. At its most common, it’s a fresh and fruity drink that quenches the thirst and gladdens the heart. At its most exalted, the basic flavors of the grape are transformed by fermentation and aging into a symphony of aromas and tastes and lingering associations. Both the bountiful nature of grape vines and the enormous appeal of their fermented fruit’s juice has led civilized man to attach a lot of meaning to wine.

Johnson’s book, a slimmed down version of the earlier Vintage , not only reminds us that the question of wine’s importance needs to be asked, it goes a long way to providing an answer. His range of reference is impressive and his writing-witting and incisive-is impeccable. When you’re ready to try to understand how wine attained its place in the modern world, there’s no better place to start than this book.

Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine

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5 Ways To Celebrate The Release of Beaujolais Nouveau 2011
They certainly have spent lots of energy telling the world the third Thursday in November is the premier of their very young (6-8 weeks from harvest) Gamay grape wine. The first wine available each year, it’s commonly seen as a barometer of the vintage as

Grape Leaves: A Century of Arab-American Poetry (Poetry Series)
Customer Review: Grape Leaves: A century of Arab-American Poetry
Gibran was not an Arab. He was an Lebanese Assyrian. This intellectual ethnic genocide needs to STOP.

Customer Review: A gathering of Arab-American voices
“Grape Leaves: A Century of Arab-American Poetry,” edited by Gregory Orfalea and Sharif Elmusa, is definitely an eye-opening anthology. This volume brings together the work of several generations of Arab-American poets, from Ameen Rihani (1876-1940) to Elmaz Abinader (b. 1954). There are both U.S.-born poets and immigrants.

Altogether, 20 poets are represented. The editors include a brief biography of each poet, together with a selection of his or her work. The short bios offer fascinating glimpses into Arab-American literary history. There are both poems originally written in English, as well as English translations of poems that were originally written in Arabic.

Some of my favorite poems in this anthology are the following: Kahlil Gibran’s romantic “Song of the Wave”; Elia Abu Madi’s richly evocative love poem “Holiday Present”; D.H. Melhem’s painful “To an Ethiopian Child”; Samuel Hazo’s “Some Words for President Wilson,” which reflects on an iconic U.S. leader; H.S. Hamod’s “Dying with the Wrong Name,” which deals with Ellis Island and the immigrant experience; and Sharif S. Elmusa’s “She Fans the Word,” about the joys and wonders of language. This is just a small sampling of the poems in this book.

I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the various ethnic literatures of the United States (African-American, Native American, Jewish American, etc.) but I must admit that “Grape Leaves” really opened my eyes to an ethnic literature about which I have been quite ignorant. In addition to being a fine collection of poetry, “Grape Leaves” reminds us that Arab Americans have been a part of America for a long time. Hopefully this book will help get some recognition for the cultural contributions of Arab Americans.

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The Accidental Connoisseur: An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World

Customer Review: After awhile you just want to come home…
I found myself truly enthusiastic about this book from the first chapter. I liked the writing, it was funny, sardonic, tongue-in-cheek, not typical in the world of wine writing. The memoir at the beginning…describing the Beaujolais he believed he was quaffing as our Lord’s hemoglobin as a Catholic school boy… I thought it was going be unique…the humor, the “irreverent” tone.

This is a “not bad” book but not truly “irreverent”. Despite his attempts at trying to downplay meeting Robert Mondavi and Piero Antinori, getting together with rustic winemakers in Italy and California, it doesn’t really work. There are moments of humility here, modesty but not many. After awhile I couldn’t relate to Osborne’s observations, describing cuisine I’ve never heard of or tasted. The narrative structure also tires – Osborne goes from winery/winemaker to winery/winemaker describing the buildings, the people, the atmosphere with little real enthusiasm, following through with formulaic efforts, each chapter a variation of the previous.

All in all, the book feels spoiled (should I say “corked”?). After the first few chapters, I started to see the pattern. There is reverence here. It’s the ideal “wine snob” book. The title is aimed at everyday people, people not into the “hoopla” of wine. There’s hoopla here, just hidden. Osborn really isn’t much of an accidental connoisseur, just a journalist who name drops and mopes about criticizing the way wine has changed in the world.

If you’re someone just looking to learn about wine, its pleasures and pursuits, check out Natalie Maclean’s “Red White and Drunk All Over” If you want something more with a bit more enthusiasm, “Wine: A Life Uncorked” by Hugh Johnson. Johnson writes brilliantly, he is an aristocrat but it feels like he truly appreciates the life he has had and the experience of wine. Get Osborne’s book from the library if you’re truly curious. Maclean and Johnson’s books are treasures.

Customer Review: The Accidental Connoisseur – A Travel Memoir about the Wine World – Worth a Read!

This book is really a travel memoir about one man’s journey into the wine world, and not necessarily a “wine book.” Understand that and you can get a lot of pleasure out of this one. For those who love tongue-in-cheek humor, it’s also worth a few laughs.

I’m a reader, but also a wine enthusiast. I don’t drink wine often, but I try to read up and stay informed. Imagine my surprise when I was given this book as a gift. You see, I am familiar with Lawrence Osborne’s fiction, having read his first novel years ago. Ania Malina (King Penguin) But I had no idea that he wrote about wine.

First and foremost, Mr. Osborne is a very accomplished writer. His fiction has somehow flown under the radar in the states. The flowery writing style he uses in this book differs from his fiction and brings more of his own “voice” to the memoir. While he can be a little wordy, he comes across more as genuine and not at all pompous. He is very honest and openly admits the gaps in his wine knowledge. Yes, he does take a few sarcastic jabs at some of the wine makers, but he does so respectfully. Clearly, he simply disagrees with some of the places the wine world is going, with $1000 bottles and ivory tower ratings.

The book takes you through a dozen or so excursions to wineries in California, Italy and France. By the end of the book, the writer seems tired of the wine world and is comfortable just to enjoy wine for what it is.

Considerations
- This book is not for those seeking wine education. It is a great travel journal about one man’s quest to scratch the surface of the wine culture.
- The author’s random insertions of historical background throughout his travels seemed at times to be out of place or overdone. It is informative and I definitely learned. A little rearranging and some more edits would have made it better for me.
- I can see how some would criticize the lack of a traditional climax. This memoir still made sense to me as a real experience. I disagreed with some of the author’s ideas, but in the end, the author’s perspective comes across as genuine.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and plan to read it again in the future. I only wonder why 4 years have passed since the author’s last book. I hope you’ll give this one a try.

Enjoy!

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