Wine Blog » Wine Book

Wine – A Moveable Thirst: Tales and Tastes from a Season in Napa Wine Country

Wineguy — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:19 +0000

Your questions, expert answers – Washington Post

Your questions, expert answers
Washington Post
… Range online discussions: I need to buy a bottle of port for a recipe. What's a decent, but inexpensive, brand? I've never had it before, but I figure this could also serve as a way for me to get accustomed to the wine by drinking what's left over. …

Online wine websites get mixed reviews – Reuters

Online wine websites get mixed reviews
Reuters
Online wine sales, garnered an estimated $4 billion in sales in 2011, according to BEM, which is forecasting that number to grow to $6.5 billion in 2012. Wine.com, WTSO.com WTSO.L, Invino.com, Vitius.com as well as others, rely on Twitter, Facebook and …

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A Moveable Thirst: Tales and Tastes from a Season in Napa Wine Country
A rollicking wine country travelogue paired with the only comprehensive guide to Napa’s public tasting rooms

Hank Beal is a wine pro–the executive wine buyer at an upscale supermarket chain. Rick Kushman is an ordinary joe–a guy who enjoys wine but doesn’t know a lot about it. Together, Hank and Rick set out to visit all 141 public tasting rooms in Napa during the course of a year. The result is A Moveable Thirst–an engaging, often hilarious book that’s one part Sideways, one part Frommer’s. The first part recounts their uproarious adventures on the road as Rick learns to sniff and spit like a true oenophile (but never stops asking stupid questions). The second part offers the most complete and detailed guide ever published to Napa’s wine rooms. For wine lovers and the more than 5 million people who visit Napa every year, A Moveable Thirst is a great read and an indispensable guide.

Customer Review: Funniest Wine Book Written
What a funny book. A 12 month journey visiting all wine tasting rooms in NAPA. Not a review of the wines, but a review of the tasting rooms. If you are into NAPA Wines, then this is the book to read. Each chapter is a short story. I would have given anything to be able to take their year long journey. Very well written….

Customer Review: Informative and Engaging Read
I loved this book! Not only is A Moveable Thirst an informative read, it was a pleasure to read. The writing mirrors the rollicking ride these two authors obviously enjoyed while on their “Quest” in the Napa Valley. Highly recommend this to both the wine obsessed and anyone planning a wine tasting trip. Great fun!

Make Wine – Hugh Johnson’s the Story of Wine

Wineguy — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 01:00:13 +0000

Conrad Hilton had ‘marijuana and two bottles of wine in car when he crashed’ – Daily Mail

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 …

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Hugh Johnson’s the Story of Wine

Written by the world’s bestselling wine author, this new illustrated edition is an enthralling read, tracing the story of wine from the dawn of civilization through the bacchanalian splendor of the ancient world to the present day. Updated to include the latest developments in wine, this edition features never before seen archival photographs.

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

Fine Wine – The All American Cheese and Wine Book

Wineguy — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:00:17 +0000

The All American Cheese and Wine Book
There’s a certain built-in fear factor to be found at any decent wine shop or cheese counter. With The All American Cheese and Wine Book Laura Werlin makes it all go away. This is the author who, with The New American Cheese, so ably demonstrated the fact that terrific cheeses of international quality are being made in the US. In this second volume she shows the reader how it is possible, with a little foreknowledge, to confront that retail fear and start making exciting choices of wines that will open up cheeses, and cheeses that will reveal the true nature of wine. You will find yourself moving gracefully from “Oh my God!” to “What a friend we have in cheeses!”

This is a very straightforward book, with chapters that include “All About Cheese,” and “All About Wine.” Here you will find the seven basic cheeses and how they are made, as well as information on winemaking and tasting. In “Bringing Cheese and Wine Together” Werlin gives us her ten basic guidelines as well as lists and charts that reveal clues for perfect matchings of wine and cheese. And then the heart of the book, the pairings of 50 cheese makers and wine makers throughout the US, which displays a real feel for the passion that underlies these two major product categories. These profiles are delightfully matched with recipes Werlin files under Hors d’Oeuvres, Pizzas, Cheese Plates, Cheese Bar, Picnics, and Desserts. This is a beautifully designed book with outstanding photography underscoring all that Laura Werlin has to share. –Schuyler Ingle

Customer Review: A beutiful cheese book
It is a beutiful book with which a cheese lover will be delighted. The photographs are wonderful. The only reason I gave it four stars, not five is that I think it is a bit pricey.

Customer Review: Wonderful wine and cheese pairings
This book is full of wonderful and interesting information about cheeses and wines that can go with them. Recipes are fun, if a little complicated. Lots of good info on where the cheeses come from.

Grape Wine – The Accidental Connoisseur: An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World

Wineguy — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:00:21 +0000

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The Accidental Connoisseur: An Irreverent Journey Through the Wine World

What is taste? Is it individual or imposed on us from the outside? Why are so many of us so intimidated when presented with the wine list at a restaurant? In The Accidental Connoisseur, journalist Lawrence Osborne takes off on a personal voyage through a little-known world in pursuit of some answers. Weaving together a fantastic cast of eccentrics and obsessives, industry magnates and small farmers, the author explores the way technological change, opinionated critics, consumer trends, wheelers and dealers, trade wars, and mass market tastes have made the elixir we drink today entirely different from the wine drunk by our grandparents.

In his search for wine that is a true expression of the place that produced it, Osborne takes the reader from the high-tech present to the primitive past. From a lavish lunch with wine tsar Robert Mondavi to the cellars of Marquis Piero Antinori in Florence, from the tasting rooms of Chateau Lafite to the humble vineyards of northern Lazio, Osborne winds his way through Renaissance palaces, $27 million wineries, tin shacks and garages, opulent restaurants, world-famous chais and vineyards, renowned villages and obscure landscapes, as well as the great cities which are the temples of wine consumption: New York, San Francisco, Paris, Florence, and Rome. On the way, we will be shown the vast tapestry of this much-desired, little-understood drink: who produces it and why, who consumes it, who critiques it? Enchanting, delightful, entertaining, and, above all, down to earth, this is a wine book like no other.

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!

Wine gift – Wine (101 Essential Tips)

Wineguy — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 06:00:32 +0000

Moonshine still found in McMinn County – Chattanooga Times Free Press
Allman said he believes the case will result in criminal charges. Police found five 50-gallon barrels of muscadine and apple-based homemade wine in one room of the barn, and they found the actual still in another room. Police also found other

Wine (101 Essential Tips)
Breaks down learning about wine into 101 easy-to-grasp tips and gives quick answers to all your questions.

Customer Review: Great Little Wine Book
This is a wonderful little wine book. It contains at least 101 little tips to make you more knowledgable about wine. This is the perfect starter book for anyone looking to learn about wine and be able to carry on an intelligent conversation about wine.

Customer Review: Excellent source for beginners
I checked this book out of the library, and liked it so much I had to get a copy for myself! I am organizing a wine tasting group, and my hope is to educate as well as learn along with everyone else. We range from novice to experience wine tasters in our group. This little guidebook is one that I will bring to every tasting as a quick reference for those who want to learn an overview.

My favorite section is “Assessing Wine,” which touches on color, tasting do’s and don’ts, smell, and wine flavors. I wish DK Publishing would put out a poster with this information on it! I guess I will have to let people flip through this book when I want to make a point.

As with all DK books I own, this book is graphically excellent and it uses photography to illustrate its text in a very effective way.

I think this a great book!

Fear of Wine: An Introductory Guide to the Grape

Wineguy — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:00:16 +0000

Fear of Wine: An Introductory Guide to the Grape
In this friendly introductory guide, food and wine writer Leslie Brenner tells how to:
Pour and taste wine
Develop a taste memory
Order from a wine list
Select a wine at the store
Match food with wine

In addition, helpful sidebars illuminate such subjects as:
How–and why–to swirl without sloshing
Disarming a snotty waiter
Ten great wines to bring to a dinner party
Going beyond California Chardonnay
Starting your own cellar for under $100

Along the way, Lettie Teague’s funny and informative cartoons enhance the text and make great devices for remembering the most important facts. Before long,
your old standby, Chateau Screwtop, will be a distant memory. Accessible and concise, Fear of Wine will appeal to anyone who wants to know a little bit about a subject that can bring great pleasure.

At last, a guide that is as fun to read as wine is to drink!

Customer Review: GREAT BOOK
A friend of mine gave this book about 9 years ago, I enjoyed it then and I still go back and read it now, it has been one the best wine books I have, easy to read and very helpful, it sure gave the information I needed to star my wine cellar.

Customer Review: Great for those who wish to learn and not get overwhelmed!
This is a wonderful book. It’s accurate and EASY to READ. You will not get overwhelmed or confused while reading this material. The illustrations help a LOT. Best introductory wine book out there. A must buy for beginners!

Grape Wine – Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide

Wineguy — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:00:12 +0000

Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide
During the thirty-five years wine critic and writer Paul Gregutt has lived in the state of Washington, its wine industry has ballooned from a mere half dozen wineries to nearly five hundred. Washington Wines and Wineries offers a comprehensive, critical, and accessible account of the nation’s second largest wine-producing region. Gregutt, who has covered Washington wine in books, newspapers, and magazines since the mid-1980s, enthusiastically dispenses information along with his editorial opinion, displaying the depth of his knowledge of the area, the players, the regions, and the wines. He points out the best vineyards, the most accomplished winemakers, the must-have wines, and the newcomers to watch. He rates wineries–not wines–with a unique and detailed 100-point scale, providing an insider’s view of the best that Washington state has to offer. As the global wine industry reinvents itself for twenty-first-century palates, Washington is poised to become as important and influential as California on the world stage. Washington Wines and Wineries is the definitive reference book on the subject.

Customer Review: Another Reason Seattle Is Amazing
If I could sit down with Paul in a tasting group I am assured that I would be utterly amazed by the amount of information he has tapped into that makes him so vital to the Washington wine industry. As a writer, investigator, connoisseur, & diplomat of all that is worthwhile in the Washington Wine realm. Rest assured you will have the upper hand on a vast extension of information from the distant past to our now proportionately thriving world of grapes in the Scabland’s to the valleys in the Yakima, Columbia, & Walla Walla wine regions. Enjoy, MD

Customer Review: Best book about Washington wine
This is a great, unconventionally written wine book. Paul Gregutt covers Washington state by talking about the history, the top vineyards, the varietals, and the top wineries. He gives ratings to wineries instead of specific wines. Sometimes it feels like his praise is too strong because he does not specify which wines are good values versus just plain good wines. But overall this is a great reference guide. If you are looking for a buying guide, stick to Robert Parker; if you want to learn about wines in Washington, this is where to start.

Wine online – The New France: A Complete Guide to Contemporary French Wine (Mitchell Beazley Wine Guides)

Wineguy — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:00:07 +0000

HUNNEMAN: A case of Bubbles – North County Times

HUNNEMAN: A case of Bubbles
North County Times
Here in Southern California Wine Country —- their marketing people love it when I call it that —- the wineries of the Temecula Valley Wine Growers Association are offering a SIP Passport. For $40, you can visit and enjoy tasting wine at any five of …
Need help keeping track of wines at Temecula Valley's CRUSH event? There's an …Southwest Riverside News Network
VITICULTURE: Grape harvest low, quality highPress-Enterprise

all 6 news articles »

Take a tour of Benton – Corvallis Gazette Times

Take a tour of Benton
Corvallis Gazette Times
Passport value: Free wine tasting. 9 – Lumos Wine Company, 24000 Cardwell Hill Drive, Philomath. Hours: Noon to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. Info: www.lumoswine.com or 541-929-3519. Passport value: One logo glass. Note: the Eddie St. Claire Jazz Trio will …
Friday to FridayAlbany Democrat Herald

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The New France: A Complete Guide to Contemporary French Wine (Mitchell Beazley Wine Guides)

This award-winning guide to France’s fourteen famed wine regions is now updated to reflect the rapidly evolving French wine industry. Extensive coverage of wines and producers from the grand chateaux of Bordeaux to local village vintners makes the information detailed enough for those in the wine trade, yet accessible to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of French wine and the personalities who make them. Fifteen exquisitely detailed regional maps and 150 photos reveal the renowned vineyards of Burgundy, the Rhone Valley, and Champagne, and also introduce lesser-known, yet equally intriguing producers scattered across Corsica, Languedoc-Roussillon, the Jura, and other regions.

Customer Review: The New France wine book
An excellent book that I had seen at a friends. Ideal for those like me interested in French wine. A different approach than some similar books where the author brings to life the personalities involved.
It arrived promptly and well packaged so many thanks for that.
One thing I would mention are your delivery charges. I consider them high.
I have also bought CDs from you with the same comment.

You should be aware that there are others ‘in the marketplace’ who offer free delivery. So beware as you may lose me and others because of this and this only.

Bernie Besnard 11 July 2008

Customer Review: Great, but not for everyone
I am a sommelier in a fine dining restaurant, and while I have found this book particularly helpful, my staff seems to have some issues with it. We used it as a textbook, covering one region per week. I like that it allows me to really visualize the vineyards and understand why the wines are what they are. In the Northern Rhône section, he talks about the steep, terraced vineyards and the stiff Mistral winds… when you understand where the wine is coming from, the wine itself makes sense. For my waiters, though, it was just too much stuffing, and they were unable to extract the information that I wanted them to. Perhaps novices need something more factual and to-the-point rather than an in-depth, evocative narrative? At any rate, I strongly suggest this book as a tool to delve deeper into French wine for those who already have a broad knowledge base. It’s not for the beginner though.

Best Wine – Wine on Tuesdays: Be a Serious Wine Drinker without Taking Wine Too Seriously

Wineguy — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:00:16 +0000

Pot Farmer Joins Farm Bureau – msnbc.com
The Napa Valley is legendary for its rolling vineyards and wine grapes, guided by some of the world’s greenest thumbs. Crane Carter owns one of those green thumbs. Only he doesn’t grow grapes with it. He grows marijuana. Carter scampered through the

Cheers! NY hands out most coveted wine awards – Newsday
Quick ReadCheers! Martha Clara Vineyards, Lamoreaux Landing are big winners at annual NY wine awards (AP) — Martha Clara Vineyards was awarded the coveted Governor’s Cup on Tuesday for best New York state wine — a 2010 Riesling from the North Fork of

Wine on Tuesdays: Be a Serious Wine Drinker without Taking Wine Too Seriously

Wine on Tuesdays focuses on the basics of wine so readers can feel comfortable buying, ordering, and drinking it, and on helping readers relax around wine and integrate it into everyday life.

Americans have uncorked a new enthusiasm for wine. For the generations of Americans who want wine to be a regular part of their lives, Wine on Tuesdays eschews the esoteric language of oenology for practical guidance, humorously written from the perspective of wine lovers rather than wine pedants. Wine on Tuesdays doesn’t focus on number ratings, “big names,” or five different ways to describe the taste of a Cabernet. Instead, it guides wine novices and experts alike through the basics of enjoying wine-from developing a palate to understanding food pairings-so that a once-in-awhile indulgence becomes a regularly rewarding pursuit.

Customer Review: Finally a non-snobby wine book
I love wine, but I know nearly nothing about it. I mean, I know red vs white and I know I generally like cabernet. That’s the extent of my wine knowledge… until very recently when I read Wine on Tuesdays. First things first: Deb is a colleague. I say that upfront because I hate reading amazon reviews that are obviously written by friends of an author who are trying not to appear as if they are friends. I always know the “this is the best book I’ve ever read” lines come from friends and family though. So, I’m not trying to do a cover up here. I love Deb, but I wouldn’t review her book unless it was good… and it is.

Deb and Keith found a way to educate me about all things wine without making me feel stupid (and it’s easy to make me feel stupid about wine because I actually AM stupid about wine). I especially valued their discussion about French wine because I generally get nervous at the wine store whenever I pick up a bottle of the French stuff. I never can figure out the label… it’s a complete crap shoot regarding what to buy. I usually do it with an eeny meany miney moe. Half the time, I can’t even figure out if it’s a French red or a French white. So I generally stick with Napa wines instead. But Deb and Keith explain all wine labels, and then even explain why French labels are so confusing! They break wines into different grape varieties, and, among each variety, give best picks for three categories: 1) affordable every day wines, 2) higher end Friday night wines 3) super expensive wines that we all dream of tasting but few of us can actually afford.

They also break down those descriptions about the taste of wine that often make me laugh. Like mineral. What? Well, duh. I now know that a mineral wine tastes like rocks.

They also enlightened me as to how to taste wine. That was helpful because I often get nervous when a waiter is staring me down, waiting for me to take that first sip. I learned about which wines should breathe and why. I also learned why some wines taste better as you drink them. I always thought it was because I was getting drunker and less picky about the taste, but there’s a scientific reason for this phenomenon!

From how to pair wine with food to what type of glass to use, they’ve covered all of the confusing bases about wine. I enjoyed the book so much that it’s now in my purse, so I can consult it at the wine store and when dining out. Oh, yeah, another nice feature of the book: it’s small enough to fit in your standard Mom-sized purse.

Vines, Grapes & Wines: The Wine Drinker’s Guide to Grape Varieties

Wineguy — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 06:00:30 +0000

Grapes of rapture – New York Post

The Times of Trenton – NJ.com

Grapes of rapture
New York Post
But a sober student of fermented grape juice should go directly to the source — local vineyards and wineries. New York State, surprisingly, is the No. 2 wine producer in the country (after California). New Jersey holds a respectable seventh place. …
Wine makers say Arizona brand won't wither on the vineInside Tucson Business

all 6 news articles »

Vines, Grapes & Wines: The Wine Drinker’s Guide to Grape Varieties

As more and more wine consumers become grape conscious, they identify and buy wine according to its grape—and this is the guide to help them choose. Written by one of the world’s most highly respected wine writers, Vines, Grapes, & Wines covers the numerous grape varieties that are grown internationally, examining an extensive range of the varieties that the enthusiast is likely to encounter both as a plant and as a wine style. Each one is described in its geographical context, and there are hundreds of inspiring illustrations throughout.

Winner of the Veuve Clicquot Wine Book of the Year and André Simon Drink Book of the Year awards

Customer Review: Still a valuable resource
While not as exhaustive as “Oz Clarke’s Encylopedia of Grapes”, this does contain information that Clarke’s book does not. Before the three sections on grapes (Classic Varieties, Major Varieties, Other Varieties) there is a section entitled “Where Grapes Grow and Why” that provides valuable insight. Some of the information is dated, however, and that should be a caution to anyone reading this for use as a text. For example, the book uses a 1979 “census” of the varieties grown in Champagne. The figures quoted in 1979 are far different than those today. So be careful if you quote this book with specific regard to data.

Customer Review: A reference book no-one should be caught without
Simply put, this is one of the classics and a must-have for anyone with more than a passing interest in wine. Although it is several years old now and certain parts are out of date in terms of trends and the planting patterns of some younger wine-producing countries, the important bits are still are relevant as ever. The most comprehensive and invaluable book on grape varieties, purely for its reference fact value. Oz Clarke and Margaret Rand have written a more up-to-date bok covering the same topic, but that is less focussed on the grape itself as the wines made around the world with the particular grape. If you can have both, all the better, but if you had to choose one, this one would be it.