Wine Blog

Loire Valley Wines Fit for Your Hamper
Its vineyards fan out across the hills and inlets of France’s longest river, producing such fresh, enticing wines as Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Muscat, Pinot Noir, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, a red grape variety that in the Loire appellation of Chinon

Red wine may reduce fat: study; compound in vino fruits blocks immature fat cells’ ability to develop and grow
Researchers say they’ve found a compound in red wine, grapes, blueberries and passion fruit that blocks immature fat cells’ ability to develop and grow. In a study published in this week’s issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry

Napa Wine: A History from Mission Days to Present
Charles Sullivan s 1994 Napa Wine: A History, is the engaging story of the rise to prominence of what many believe to be the greatest winegrowing area in the Western Hemisphere. This new edition completes that picture, bringing to light more than a decade of dramatic changes and shifted norms visited upon the valley, from pholoxera-wasted vineyards to High Court-officiated territorial battles, told in a rousing, transportive narrative.

Picking up at 1817 with the movement of Spanish Missions into the San Francisco Bay Area, Sullivan wends his way through the Great Wine Boom of the late 19th century, the crippling effect of Prohibition, and Napa s rise out of its havoc to its eventual rivaling of Bordeaux in the Judgments of 1976 and 2006 as the great wine growing region in the world.

Published in cooperation with the Napa Valley Wine Library, scholarly attention is given to every detail. The author, called wine s head sleuth and the modern historian of wine in California, visited every historic sight in Napa, compiled hundreds of first-hand accounts from pivotal figures, and dug into original documents and periodicals. Included are historic maps, charts of vineyard ownership, and vintages from the 1880s to present.

This is a book for all wine lovers.

Customer Review: An Excellent Book
This book offers a very detailed account of the history of the Napa Valley. Thoroughly researched and well presented.

Oz Clarke’s Australian Wine Companion (Oz Clarke’s Wine Companions)

Customer Review: A ‘must’ for any who would explore Australian wines
Australian Wine Companion: An Essential Guide For All Lovers Of Australian Wine is a ‘must’ for any who would explore Australian wines with one of the most famous wine writers in the world. Divided by grape growing region and regional producers, this doesn’t just list wineries and their specialties: it also provides both background history and insights into how the winery has changed since its establishment; in the process revealing much about Australian wine industry history as a whole. Whether you’re a destination-oriented wine enthusiast or an armchair reader/drinker, Australian Wine Companion is the first starter kit.

Le Cordon Bleu Wine Essentials: Professional Secrets to Buying, Storing, Serving, and Drinking Wine
From one of the world’s leading cooking schools, expert advice on buying, storing, serving, and selling wine for the everyday wine lover

Le Cordon Bleu Wine Essentials lets the everyday wine lover become a true wine connoisseur. Shedding light on a world as fascinating for its science and history as it is for its intricate etiquette, this guide unfolds the entire art and craft of wine in a beautifully designed and illustrated volume. With contributions from the world’s leading wine makers, sommeliers, and wine professionals, Le Cordon Bleu Wine Essentials provides commonsense advice on the everyday world of wine–from selecting, buying, and storing wine, to guidelines for tasting, appraising, ordering, and serving all varieties. The book also includes a behind-the-scenes look at winemaking, building a well-balanced wine collection, and practical advice on investing in wine.