The Wine Bible
by Karen MacNeil
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (September, 2001)
list price: $19.95 -- our price: $13.57
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Though it drinks deep of its subject, Karen MacNeil's Wine Bible deftly avoids two traps many wine books fall into: talking down to wine novices or talking up to more experienced enophiles. The book avoids these traps through MacNeil's obvious, and infectious, love of her subject, which comes out in almost every sentence of the book, and which lets her talk about wine in a way that combines the good teacher, the trusted friend, and the expert sommelier. As director of the wine program at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California, MacNeil is one of the world's true experts on wine. After reading a chapter on the Burgenland, for example, you've learned about the region's sweet wines while feeling like you're actually there, toasting a glass of Cuvee Suss with the author. It is this passion that leads to describing an Italian riservas as "mesmerizing" and a Cabernet Sauvignon as having "texture like cashmere."

The Wine Bible is broken into countries, hitting all of the major wine producers and most of the minor ones. Each section gives detailed descriptions of the country's wines (with chapters on individual regions when necessary), highlighting specific wine producers and individual wines, as well as talking about local foods, customs, and other tidbits that add to the reading experience. MacNeil begins her journey through the world's wine with an invaluable section on "Mastering Wine," which lets a reader get ready before uncorking separate sections. --A.J. Rathbun ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Very comprehensive
In my quest to better understand all of the concepts that account for differences in wines of the same varietal and/or location, I stumbled upon this book.Enbedded in the book were the answers to my questions.Although the Wine Bible can often get too much into somwhat boring and trivial details, it is the ultimate reference.Not only do I better understand wines but it also provides a history of the wine regions of the world, the culture and cuisine.

Very Comprehensive and Well-Written
This is a very comprehensive book.Excellent as a reference with sound advice throughout as well.I live in Europe and have had the opportunity to use the information in the book to purchase wine in Germany, France, Italy and Spain.My only complaint would be that many of the

Wow!
I ordered 2 of Karen's bibles--one for me and one for friends.As for me, I simply love and appreciate good wine and champagne. My friends on the other hand are restaurant owners.

I've been reading my wine bible almost every day...carrying it in the car to read while I wait for the kids in carpool.I stayed up late last night reading the entire section on champagne-what an education.I retained so much of the information I read which made me realize how well written the power-packed book is.

Love IT!

I'm waiting for the grand opening of my friends bar next door to Local on Elm Street in Dallas (hopefully May 2005) to give The Wine Bible to the proprietors as a congratulatory/celebratory gift. These owners, two brilliant, discerning women, have exquisitely executed their plans for an inimitable restaurant and bar.The Wine Bible is the perfect gift for perfect friends with perfect taste!

I have recommended The Wine Bible to several other girlfriends of mine and teased them with stories about Karen's terrific descriptions that allow readers to "click" with each topic.

This is a fabulous find that will be my "go to" book.It truly is a bible in that you can pick it up, open to any page and begin reading something that will be interesting, exciting, educational and allow you to "witness" to others!!

Well done!

... Read more

Isbn: 1563054345
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Reference    5. Wine and wine making    6. Cooking / Wine & Spirits   

The World Atlas of Wine
by Hugh Johnson Jancis Robinson
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (13 September, 2001)
list price: $50.00 -- our price: $31.50
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

The World Atlas of Wine is something of a dream-team production. The names Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson alone recommend any book on which they appear. The fifth edition (in 30 years) of this astonishingly successful book lives up to, and surpasses, its predecessors. In 350 densely packed but never clotted pages the authors manage the extraordinary feat of characterizing wine production throughout the world, from Vancouver Island to Japan--Buddhists first planted vines in that inhospitably precipitous, monsoon-lashed land over a 1,000 years ago. After a substantial introductory section dealing with the history of wine, its making, storage, and enjoyment, we're off. Starting with(where else?) France and Burgundy, each wine area is summarized in terms of its geography, climate, and preferred vines and the appellations, laws, and traditions that govern production. The discussion of Pomerol, for example, tells you a great deal in one short page. Even since 1994, when the fourth edition came out, vast changes have swept the wine world, and many parts of the atlas have been correspondingly completely reworked. South America, Canada, Southern France, Italy, Greece, Eastern Europe, and the Eastern Mediterranean are among the areas that have benefited. The regional maps that form the core of the book are a triumph of clarity. The whole production constitutes a brilliant achievement of organization and synthesis, forming an indispensable resource for any wine lover at all interested in where the wine they drink comes from and why it tastes the way it does. --Robin Davidson, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Good as Drinking the Stuff
This is one of the best books on the history of wine in the world. This book covers wine from its birth, and goes through to the modern day wine world. The nice thing about this book is that it is not a book that talks about all the different producers around the world and their vintages, but rather the regions around the world, and their history etc. I recommend this book, and 'Exploring Wine' for the person that wants to learn about wines role in the world throughout history. All this and fantastic illustrations and maps as well!
I received this book for my birthday [...].

Excellant All-in-One Guide
Great book which does a lot more than adorn your coffee table.
Excellant reference.

Outstanding!
If ever there was a must-have tome on wine, this would be it.It's equally at home on the reference shelf or the coffee table with its specific descriptions of both the classic regions and the emerging areas as well as its stunning photography and beautiful presentation throughout.I've owned the book for two years, and I find I'm often turning to it after enjoying a nice wine to find out more about where it was made.Why do we visit wineries?For me, it's to attach a memory or place to the product we drink.This book won't take you there physically, but really it's the next best thing presenting photographs and maps of the areas, information on what makes each area unique, as well as some of the geographic, economic, and social drivers that are making it evolve.Other reviewers have said that the book isn't as comprehensive as they would like, but it's not meant to present a thorough analysis of each wine, but rather to present notable regions on aggregate.I must admit that in some cases the representative wines given for a region wouldn't have been my choice, but I guess that's a matter of personal taste.This being the fifth revised edition of the book speaks to its enduring influence in the space, and even with the thousands of other competing products out there, I expect this reference to continue its reputation as the best there is. ... Read more

Isbn: 1840003324
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Maps    5. Reference    6. Wine and wine making    7. Wine districts    8. Cooking / Wine & Spirits   

Andrea Immer's Wine Buying Guide for Everyone (Andrea Immer's Wine Buying Guide for Everyone (Paperback))
by ANDREA IMMER
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (14 May, 2002)
list price: $12.95
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Editorial Review

Aiming to provide practical buying guidance on more than 400 of the most popular and available wines on the market, Andrea Immer's Wine Buying Guide for Everyone narrowly misses the mark. Immer, a master sommelier and author of Great Wine Made Simple, devotes the bulk of this buying guide to lists, such as "30 Most Popular Chardonnays," "The Top 50 Wines You're Not Drinking," and "Impress the Date: Hip Wines," and, in a separate section, short written reviews. Unfortunately, the lists, with no more than wine names and value and price ratings, aren't very insightful, nor are the reviews, which often seem to favor style over substance. One wishes Immer perhaps had skipped the lists entirely and made her reviews a little more full-bodied. There are redeeming qualities, however, including the Kitchen Fridge Survivor Grade, which measures how long a wine will keep after it's opened; cuisine lists, which suggest wines to go with Chinese food, pizza, and so forth; and a blank area for notes after each review so readers can track wines they've tried and jot down their impressions. This book, however, as Immer said of one wine, "offers less flavor for the money than its competitors." --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Can't Catch My Breath
Way too busy and confusing. Went to her website and it's no longer in existence. What's that all about?

The best guide for everyday wines you can buy
Andrea Immer, unlike certain other wine critics, focuses on what you can actually find in stores and what most people can afford to spend on a bottle of wine. For that she should be thanked. She rarely misses the mark with her reviews and all are concise and helpful. You won't find the finest wines in the world from this book but you will find a constant stream of good to very good wines that will fit every party, wine tasting, or any meal you might care to plan. Buy wines from this book and you will not be disappointed. How refreshing to have a non-pretentious American wine critic. Bravo.

a good book
Good information for people trying to understand more about wine and trying to find wines that they might like.Has some good information about inexpensive wines.I like this book a lot. ... Read more

Isbn: 0767911849
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Reference    5. Wine and wine making    6. Cooking / Wine & Spirits   

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2002 (Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book)
by Hugh Johnson
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (13 September, 2001)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $13.95
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

For everything there is a season, and in the world of wine the calendar is defined by bud break, fruit set, harvest, and the arrival of the latest edition of Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book. Celebrating the sale of more than 7 million copies of editions spanning a quarter century, the 2002 publication provides an updated addition to the prestigious and prolific wine writer's popular series of pocket-sized reference books. With delineated chapters--some merely a page long--Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book: 2002 follows a standard format: wine trend prognostication, a brief description of the current vintage (here the 2000 harvest), a reexamination of 1999, glossary of grape types, and food and wine matches. The book's bulk is composed of an alphabetical listing of short entries--mostly wineries--subdivided within geographical chapters. Johnson can be stylish, even witty (a lively Vernaccia pairs well with a dish of grey mullet: not the one "on the heads of aging rock stars"), but aside from the opening few pages, there's a decidedly ghostwritten feel to the proceedings. Indeed, the acknowledgments list over 40 "kind friends," including several regionally based wine writers, for their "special knowledge," most notably of some smaller producers. But for someone of Hugh Johnson's stature, to allow, once again, in the 2002 edition the Syrah grape to be identified as identical to Petite Sirah--friends, kind or not, shouldn't let friends get away with that sort of thing. --Tony Mason ... Read more

Reviews (6)

My Favorite Wine Reference
Hugh Johnson has become an expert in selecting wines from around the world to recommend for audiences of all types: the expert, the gourmand, the affianado, as well as to the novice wine drinker who wishes to discover what new worlds of taste and sensation await them. Hugh Johnson's book covers a wide range of information in an erudite and clear manner. His analyses run from using basic symbols such as, one wine bottle for "plain, everyday quality", two wine bottles for "above average", three wine bottles for "well known, highly reputed", four wine bottles for "grand, presigious, expensive" ... to a dark blue star representing "usually particularly good value in its class". His book delivers excellent descriptions of wines from the main wine-growing countries of the world: France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, California as well as South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. He does an admirable job of describing key wines produced in the Eastern and Central and Southeastern European countries of Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Romania and Greece. One can learn about grape varieties and the types of wine produced from them. Most importantly one can learn what type of wine to pair up with what main dish or food. Indeed this book is the most up-to-date reference on over 6,000 different wines produced around the world. Hugh JOhnson has over 25 years of experience tasting and describing wines. The fact that over 7 million copies of his "Pocket Wine Book" series havebeen sold provides ample proof of his popularity and accuracy in providing "need to know" information for the expert and budding connisieur in this fascinating realm. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Take it everywhere with you!
I have been a devotee of Hugh Johnson's Pocket Encyclopedias since the 1980's, when I was first introduced to the concept of fine wine.This pocket guide, updated every year to include information on new vineyards and vintages, is a godsend.With so many wines produced today, I need a method to distinguish among the offerings, and this is it. From the cheapest to the most expensive wine, Johnson includes a vast list in a slim, portable volume.

Without snobbery, Johnson discusses grape varieties, food pairings, and the individual character of different wine regions, from France to California to Australia - even to South Africa.While the food recommendations are more guidance than rules, they still provide a solid base for the novice.Connoisseurs will head straight to the easy to read wine listings to discover the best vintages and the characters of individual labels, as well as Johnson's overall starred ratings.

The book is small enough to fit inside a purse or jacket pocket, perfect for taking to a restaurant or wine store. If you are serious about wine, you really do need to buy an updated edition every year.People who have only a casual interest might get away with one every other year.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who appreciates fine wine or who wants to learn more about it.You won't be disappointed.

Pays for Itself
Like finding the perfect anniversery gift or putting on your snow tires, buying this guide should be one of those things you do each and every year.

Why? Because it will pay for itself the very first trip you make with it to the liquor store. Think I'm exagerating? Then keep reading.

Hugh Johnson is the Roger Ebert of wines. In other words, he knows his subject thouroughly but without ever being snobby or pretentious. He knows you don't find the perfect wine -- whether for cheap pasta, or coq au vin, or to lay down for a decade -- by price. Trying to decide between the 80 buck Cabernet Sauvignon or the simply labelled "red table wine" at ten dollars -- and you've never tasted either? Hugh can tell you the better value. Not to mention which one is just plain better.

With that one purchase, you'll have more than paid for the book.

Hugh has a wonderful sense of humor, and takes great joy in his work -- and it shows. ... Read more

Isbn: 1840004436
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Reference    5. Wine and wine making    6. Cooking / Wine & Spirits   

Wine for Dummies
by Ed McCarthy Mary Ewing-Mulligan
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 September, 1998)
list price: $21.99
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Editorial Review

In Wine for Dummies, Mary Ewing-Mulligan teams up with hubby and fellow wine educator Ed McCarthy to guide us on an exhaustive, entertaining trip around the enological--that's right, enological--world.Though clearly experts themselves (Ewing-Mulligan is one of a handful of Americans holding the rare title Master of Wine), the authors assure us that even the most basic knowledge will undermine the very notion of wine pretension. It's as simple as this: "This wine is named for a grape variety. This wine is named for a geographical region. When they make this kind of wine, it goes into this kind of bottle."And so on.

By providing the context in which to begin exploring wine, Wine for Dummies can easily become the send-off for a lifelong education.McCarthy and Mulligan deflate many of the wine snob's attitudes; they assure us that most wine sold today is "good wine," and that any further distinctions made about wine are ultimately subjective.The practical, jovial mentoring the authors provide encourages readers to chart their own course toward drinking great wine (although the authors naturally recommend dozens of their own favorites along the way).In later chapters, McCarthy and Mulligan delve into more serious topics such as investing in and cellaring wine.Even these discussions seem appropriate, given that you'll probably find the allure of wine growing as its mystery subsides to the force of this superb introductory text. --Todd Gehman ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Clarity
This is a very good meat and potatoes wine book to have on hand around the house.I find the explanations to have high clarity, which is important in a wine book.I also like the summary boxes in the beginning of the book and the vintage chart.The book does a good job of giving a little bit of information on different wine types, so that you don't get overwhelmed.The Dummies symbols throughout the book though seem to me unnecessary.

I also really enjoy Windows of the World, Oldman's Guide, and World Atlas.

Thank God! Cliff Notes for wine!
I read this book when I was first beginning to experience the wonderful world of wine, and it has been a great resource for me. A quick read, the book is organized into chapters on choosing wines at shops and restaurants, where and how wines are made, choosing wine to go with food, and descriptive terms for wine. (They even have pronunciations for wine terms. No more looking stupid at dinner parties!) Also, the book touches on some of the major wine-makers that it pays to be familiar with.

I really like the attitude that the authors take towards the subject matter. They seem to think (as I do) that wine is not a snobby subject to learn about. It's about something most of us are already familiar with - what tastes we like and don't like. Easy, huh? They emphasize that wine is to be enjoyed, not agonized over.

I like the way the content is interspersed with funny comics, highlighted tips, and even little technical blurbs about wine. (There are also "snob alerts" throughout the book! They address some of the attitudes self-proclaimed "wine experts" sometimes express. What a hoot!)

All in all, a great read. Based on the book's advice, I bought a small, pocket-sized wine book. When I'm out at a restaurant or party and I taste something I like, I jot it down in the book for future reference. Then, I use the book when I go to the wine shop or when I'm eating out. Great suggestion!

great
OK, I admit it. I hate these damn idiot books... but this one is great. I hate the ones I browse through in the bookstores on topics on which I know something. Perhaps that's why I loved this one? I've been into wine for a couple of years but knew almost nothing. One could say I was prepared to read this book then. Nevertheless, the book was precisely what I was looking for. It covered the whole kit and kaboodle, from the making of wine to the different sensations associated with different wine types to wine areas to how to order it in a restaurant. There's just tons of myths and disinformation out there about wine, and this book exposes them all. Truly a great one in my humble opinion. ... Read more

Isbn: 0764551140
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Wine Buying Guides    5. Wine and wine making    6. Wines   

Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide, 5th Edition : Complete, Easy-to-Use Reference on Recent Vintages, Prices, and Ratings for More Than 8,000 Wines from All... er's Wine Buyer's Guide (Cloth), 5th Edition)
by Robert M. Parker
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (21 December, 1999)
list price: $60.00
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Editorial Review

Just who is Robert McDowell Parker Jr.? Readers--and there are lots of them--for whom the name Parker stands for consumer-friendly, no-nonsense,professional wine criticism can find out in the 1,703-page Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide, the fifth updated edition by the prolific publisher of The Wine Advocate consumer newsletter; author of classic books on Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Rhone Valley; and inductee into France's Legion of Honor. Not bad for a guy who was sending out free copies of his wine reviews to the Baltimore area in 1978. Robert Parker is now arguably the world's most respected wine critic--just try to find a retail wine shelf without at least one of his ratings proudlydisplayed.And now readers can see 8,000 of them between the covers of this ambitious volume.

Parker and his assistant use his 100-point system to rate Old and New World vintages and producers with single-palate objectivity and the aplomb of one of his early influences, Ralph Nader.It's no mystery why his periodical contains the term advocate: readers of the Guidewill learn why the author never participates in wine judgings and doesn't accept freebies.Parker also weighs in on monster vertical wine tastings, nondrinking wine collectors, ego-driven "collector-spitters," wine producers' greed, wine writers' ethics and competence, and restaurant wine-pricing policy.And that's just in the guide's 40-page introduction!The chapter on Bordeaux beautifully dismisses the moldy 1855 Classification as "out of date" due to "negligence, incompetence, and just plain greed" and being "of only academic interest to the consumer." His judicious use of an exclamation point mayalso unearth a relative bargain: the wines of St. Julien "are frequentlyindistinguishable from" their higher-priced Pauillac neighbors, "so consumers take note!"But calling the tune doesn't preclude a couple of flat notes: the Guide is chock full of nonspecific cellaring recommendations.When do we drink, for example, our 1996 Sierra Vista Zinfandel?Parker suggests "over the next 1-2 years," but when to start counting?The wine's vintage? The Guide's date of publication? The year we read the entry?Parker also uses an unusual lettering guide to wine prices, and chapters aren't delineated well.So maybe it's not a Buyer's Guideat all--it's too heavy to tote to your local wine shop, and the vagaries of publishing prevent the inclusion of the latest available vintages.But what a read!Meticulously researched and brimming with thoughtful vinouscommentary, this Guide demonstrates why the five words to send a wine lover gulping in breathless anticipation are "Parker gave it a 92."--Tony Mason ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Just accept the bias
If you'll accept Robert Parker's bias towards French wines, you'll appreciate the 5th edition of Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide. (As a holder of France's Legion of Honour, you'd hardly expect him to lean towardsGerman plonk!) That said, Parker's Guide is an almost complete reference on wine vintages and prices with ratings for more than 7,500 wines from all major wine regions. It is by far the most comprehensive and respected wine rating book in the market.

There are critics who say that Parker is too influential, that his weakness for strong, tannin rich reds makes him biased in their favour, but there is still no other rating book that comes close. Until his critics come up with something better, they should hold their peace.

What impressed me was the way the Parker's Guide picks up even on some of the smaller chateaux. Clos de Gamot, for example is a tiny producer and I wouldn't have expected to find their wine given a mention. On the other hand, South Africa and Canada (both somewhat larger 'chateaux') seem to have been missed altogether! Like I said, you need to accept Parker's bias to all things French. I guess at 2,000 pages, the book weighs enough already!

interesting but not as comprehensive as the cover suggests
This book is almost 2,000 pages and I am taking the liberty of writing a few comments based on a quick overview. The text on the bottom of the front cover states "...Ratings for more than 8000 Wines from All the Major Wine Regions". Some important wine areas are completely excluded, such as South Africa, the USA apart from the West Coast, Canada, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East (where there are a few very prestigious growers, such as Chateau Musar). Burgundy and Beaujolais together receive about 500 pages of commentary whereas Bordeaux gets only about 200. Germany gets 11 pages only, of which 5 are maps and general information about how its labelling system works, and no tasting notes at all. Austria is appended to Germany, and receives 5 and a half pages with tasting notes. All of the notes are devoted to one Austrian producer's Trockenbeerenauslese wines. I was quite astounded to find the exclusion in the German chapter of Robert Weil among recommended producers. His Rheingau Riesling wines are getting some of the highest prices in the country and comparable recognition. The section on Spain includes no evaluations of its white wines, as they were not considered by the author to be worthy. There are no comments on the country's wonderful sherries. The section on Portugal is devoted almost entirely to Port, with about half a page on table wine. There are no evaluations of any madeiras. I fail to understand why the author chose to include detailed commentaries on vintage Ports and Sauternes chateaux but practically nothing on sherry, madeira, Hungarian Tokaji Aszu Essencia, or German dessert wine. To me this seems very arbitrary.
It should also be noted that Mr. Parker's assistant Pierre-Antoine Rovani wrote the tasting notes and/or scoring (using the 100 point system of course) for red and white Burgundy, Alsace, the Loire, Germany, Washington and Oregon, and New Zealand. This comes to somewhere between a third and half the total text. His very significant contribution is noted in one paragraph in the introduction.
Having said all of this, for the most part I like what is contained here. It was decided - correctly in my view - to present the major French wine regions in alphabetical order rather than starting with either Bordeaux or Burgundy. Therefore the first 75 pages or so are devoted to Alsace. I have been a huge fan of this area's wines for the last 12 years and Mr. Rovani's comments are excellent. I concur wholeheartedly with his assertions that the very best vintages from the estates of Domaines Weinbach and Zind-Humbrecht (among others) offer quality equal to anything from Burgundy. You are not likely to go wrong with any of the recommendations here. The Burgundy section may seem a bit excessive at 500 pages, but again Messrs. Rovani and Parker emphasize there are sizeable variations in quality and it is easy to pay top dollar for mediocre wine here. It was noted that in the elite Le Montrachet, some 20 acres, there are 15 producers, of which only 5 or 6 can be relied upon for producing consistently excellent wine - yet all of them charge anywhere from $150 to $300+ a bottle. I cannot fault the authors for providing some extra guidance and information here, and if it saves the reader from spending money on one mediocre bottle the book has more than paid for itself. The Bordeaux section is well written but with over 2,000 chateaux to choose from, it could have been longer. To be fair, this area (and Burgundy) can take a book by itself, which Parker has done on 3 occasions already.
The rest of the book has some interesting things too, but I have to disagree with the author's assertion that there is a lot of bad wine made in Washington. I've enjoyed it for many years and cannot honestly recall ever paying too much for a bottle. Oddly enough, Washington's best offerings get higher scoring than those from Oregon. New Zealand's offerings are confined to only one page.
So far I like this book but cannot in all fairness give it an unqualified recommendation.

Robert Parker "Parker's wine buyers guide"
Generally an excellent book. However, I was suprised to find no mention of Canadian wines. Having recently visited the Niagra region and tasted their produce, I find them the equal of many of the world's wines. This would seem to be an important omission in what is regarded as the premier wine book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684841843
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Reference    5. Wine Buying Guides    6. Wine and wine making    7. Cooking / Wine & Spirits   

Red Wine for Dummies
by EdMcCarthy MaryEwing-Mulligan
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (30 September, 1996)
list price: $14.99 -- our price: $10.19
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

The authors of Wine for Dummies and White Wine for Dummies have produced a handy primer on the fundamentals of red wine.After a brief introduction to the varieties of grapes and the seven classic types of red wine, the reader (and taster!) is introduced to the world's greatest offerings, including less recognized wines from Chile and Australia.The familiar Dummies-style "Part of Tens" includes 10 wine-tasting exercises using affordable vintages. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Easy to understand, complete in its coverage
As I wrote in a previous review of The Sommelier's Guide to Wine, I am just beginning my introduction to the fascinating world of wine. While the former book has been invaluable, so has this - Red Wine for Dummies.

As always, the language is very accessible and the subject material easy to understand, even when some of the more difficult or intimidating aspects of wine are discussed (such as when and why to decant, picking a wine, a guide to wine terms, etc.)

The descriptions of the grapes themselves are marvelous. For example, here is the description for a Zinfandel (yes, Zinfandel is a red grape - White Zinfandel [all apologies to those who like it] is a wine made by ruining the grape): "The Zinfandel grape gives good color to the red wines made from it, along with bramble-berry fruit flavors and aromas and a spicy character. The intensity of the wine varies according to where grapes grew and how old the vines are; some very old (80 to 100 years) vineyards make wines that are full bodied and dense with flavor. More typically, Zinfandel makes wines that are medium bodied, with succulent fruit and medium tannin." Sure there are descriptions in fancy wine magazines that are more complete, but chances are you wouldn't have the slightest idea what they're talking about.

This book also covers regions where wines are made, climates, soil, and everything that goes into producing a good red wine. It's a superb book for a beginner.

Easy and logical to follow
Liked the presentaion of the information - like most of the Dummy series, the book is well researched and useful even as a quick reference or to read through cover to cover.

Writing you can use
What a joy. This quick, fun read is well worth your time.
Wine for Dummies is like having your own personal expert with a sense of humor.
I live in Europe and applied this book to my "studies" of wine by buying bottles and tasting. The lessons in the back are fun and fantastic.
Good reading and tasting! ... Read more

Isbn: 0764550128
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Gardening    5. Regional - General    6. Viticulture    7. Wine and wine making    8. Cooking / Wine & Spirits    9. Wines   

White Wine for Dummies
by EdMcCarthy MaryEwing-Mulligan
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (30 September, 1996)
list price: $12.99 -- our price: $10.39
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The authors of Wine for Dummies and Red Wine for Dummies present a companion volume for white wine lovers. Don't know your florals from your vegetals?The Dummies wine team has assembled a resource to navigate the unfamiliar winebibber through the often intimidating array of white wines, including proper terminology and lists of affordable varieties of wines from every region. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Should be re-named White Wine for Beginners
This is an very entertaining book, but it is also a good overview of wines. The book explains the types of grapes that are used, and reviews the regions of the world where wine is produced. Even though the book has a number of "snob alert" icons throughout the book, it is clearly aimed at the "better" wines. If you are interested in Gallo, Paul Masson, etc. type of "jug" wines you need to go someplace else since they are not covered at all! It seems a little odd that Gallo that sells say 100 million cases of wine a year is excluded, yet a French producer of 50 cases of White Burgandy a year is mentioned. The vintage charts for white wine is dated, but overall the book goes a long way to take the mystery out of wine.

A Good Book Is Like A Good Wine
It is a good book for someone who had no idea of white wine.It gives a general idea of different types of grapes and the vocabulary of "wine".Most important of all, it points out that a good winedifinition varies from a person to others.Now, I really enjoy to drink mywhite wine and try to determine the flavor, the acidity, etc.

Tempranillo in Spain
Style, terrior of Rioja, production and influence, and the famous brand ... Read more

Isbn: 076455011X
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Wine and wine making    5. Cooking / Wine & Spirits    6. Wines   

Discovering Wine
by Joanna Simon
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 February, 1995)
list price: $19.95
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Editorial Review

The subtitle says it all: Discovering Wine is, indeed,"a refreshingly unfussy beginner's guide to finding, tasting,judging, storing, serving, cellaring, and, most of all, DiscoveringWine." If you thought you'd have to make a spectacle ofyourself in public--sniffing corks, gargling bordeaux, etc.--in orderto become educated on the subject of wine, relax. Author Joanna Simonmakes it clear that even the most retiring persons can learn to judgewine without drawing attention to themselves. Using a combination ofpictures and text, Simon describes the steps involved in tasting,serving, and storing wine. She offers suggestions for matching wineswith different foods, then takes the reader on a tour of famousvineyards, explaining just what goes into a really fine vintage.Finally, she includes brief descriptions of the best-known wines fromwine-growing regions the world over. So if you don't know your Astifrom your Madeira, let Joanna Simon set you on the road to knowledgewith Discovering Wine. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Place to Begin
I'm a beginner. When I received "Discovering Wine" by Joanna Simon as a gift, I felt intimidated. Would it be stuffy or over my head?

Its strength is in the simple presentation of the facts. The chapters are clearly titled, like "Matching food with wine" and "Ways to store your wine." The writing is clean, though it comes across slightly elitist (ex: choosing 'wend' instead of 'wind,' noting a certain country produces a 'credible' variety of wine). It is balanced by an encyclopedic style, providing insight into the basics of wine appreciation.

Many countries are highlighted for their vineyards and wines. Learn which wines are made where, and how the process is distinguished from country to country.

The pictures are sharp, beautiful and informative. You'll see terraces of Germany, hills of Tuscany, and the mountains of Peru in sheer splendor and relevance.

Especially useful for me was the lexicon of tasting terms, a brief lesson on wine tasting and what to look for, and a discussion (with perfect pictures) on which glasses and decanters to use.

The weakest aspect of the book was the chapter on matching food and wine, but the weakness was not in the content, but in the brevity. Ten pages should have been 20.

I fully recommend "Discovering Wine" by Joanna Simon as a first book.

Anthony Trendl

Nice beginner book, but some tips outdated
Overall, this was a nice introduction to wine.However, it was obviously written in the early nineties, so the good year/bad year tips on many of the white wines that were not meant to age for ten years are kind of useless today (For some wines, 1987 may have been a good year if you drank it in 1991, but in 2001 it might taste a little closer to vinegar than you prefer.)But if you learn enough to know that the book you are reading is outdated, then you must have learned something.Three stars.

A user friendly book
This is a really nice book, to get you started in wine appreciation.

I also bought a Perfect Sommelier, because I wanted to taste the wine as soon as I bought it, instead of waiting years for it to be cellared.Use Google to search for it.

The book really helped in locating some of the many varieties of wine that are available today.I love the 'Dummy' book too! ... Read more

Isbn: 067150570X
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. Reference    6. Wine Buying Guides    7. Wine and wine making    8. Cooking / General   

Rioja and Its Wines
by Ron Scarborough
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 2000)
list price: $17.95 -- our price: $17.95
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Reviews (2)

Travel guide, not a useful wine guide.
The title misleads.The book is a travelog of the adventures of the author.I have some personal knowledge of the region and have had similar experiences to those of the author-the book will be useful to a traveler as a planning tool.It does not contribute to the knowledge base on Rioja wines.

Rioja and its wines
A must for anyone wanting to travel in the Rioja region of Spain. I am planning a trip soon and this book will be constant companian. ... Read more

Isbn: 1901130312
Sales Rank: 244196
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Europe - Spain & Portugal    3. South America    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel / South America   

BORDEAUX : REVISED THIRD EDITION
by Robert M. Parker
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (02 November, 1998)
list price: $50.00 -- our price: $31.50
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Editorial Review

When connoisseurs speak of wine as a long-term investment that can appreciate in gustatory (and monetary) value for decades, they usually refer to red Bordeaux, France's biggest and longest-lasting wine. But as the cachet of Bordeaux continues to attract legions of wine fanatics across the globe, the 90s have seen Bordeaux prices skyrocket. The importance of informed buying has never been more acute, and Parker's guide is simply the best available. Updated from the original 1985 edition, the third edition of Bordeaux is organized along the same lines as the region's wine classifications. After introducing the style, history, and techniques specific to each principal appellation, Parker discusses the featured châteaux in detail--from the techniques of the vintners to the peculiarities of the all-important terroir. Parker's ratings for the tasted vintages, based on the 100-point scale he popularized through The Wine Advocate, are the real crux of each winery's listing. Performing all his tastings in "single blind" style--where each wine is judged without knowledge of the price or producer, and only in context with similar wines--assures a measure of independence in the tastings. Big-name wines are often deflated, and many "also-rans" from the landmark quality classification of 1855 finally win their deserved recognition.

The third edition naturally highlights the series of (mostly good) vintages that Bordeaux has seen since the release of the second edition in 1991, but it also includes updated tasting notes on the vintners and vintages Parker has revisited since that time. His opinions command such worldwide attention that, given time, either your palate or your wallet is bound to benefit from keeping up with Parker's advice. --Todd Gehman ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The best wine book
I consider this to be by far the best book on Bordeaux. While I do not agree with Parker or just about anyone else regarding the rating of Italian wines, Parker is right on target in his ratings for Bordeaux. I find it interesting that Parker is a fan of the rich and opulent micro wines coming out of Pomerol and St. Emilion. There are strict Bordeaux traditionalists that don't care for these wines. I think they are great and agree with Parker. They simply add another dimension to the many styles of wine being made in the greatest wine producing area of the world. Parker is extremely consistent and the only other taster that comes close is Stephen Tanzer. The Wine Spectator and James Suckling are pretty good, although I think they overrate too many wines in subpar vintages. Ironically, Spectator is not a big fan of the decadent wines Parker likes from the right bank.

The Best Bordeaux guide
One reviewer noted that this really comes closer to a buying guide than anything else. I suppose that is true, but it is much more, also.It is easy enough to write histories of Bordeaux, and many are very entertaining, such as D. Markham's work on the 1855 Classification. But when most of us pick up a recent Bordeaux work, isn't it more helpful to hear more than "Chateau Lafite is a first growth and has produced good to excellent wine in x, y and z vintages, and many others."This is a book that takes a stand. And quite frankly, Parker's Bordeaux palate is as good as anyone's in the world. You don't have to agree with everything he says on every wine to recognize a master at work.

Pros and cons, but intriguing and worth it on balance.
Anyone who has looked up this title is probably already aware of its obvious virtues, so I won't belabor them. I point out some flaws here to better show what this book is and what it is not.

1. Parker emphasizesdisproportionately the classified (and pricier) growths. Many crusbourgeois make it in the book, but the information on them is more scantthan the more glamorous estates. And even on the top tier of producers,Parker neglects affordable alternatives: e.g., of the five first growths,Parker includes significant coverage of only one second wine (Les Forts deLatour). If crus bourgeois and fifth growths merit their own subsections,surely so do Carruades and Pavillon Rouge, no? It would also be nice if thebook reviewed more "undiscovered gems." Several that it doesunearth (Corbin Michotte in St. Emilion, du Moulin Rouge in the Haut-Medoc)leave one thirsting (ahem) for more.

2. Much of the information is of thetechnical variety. Parker supplies the number of vineyard hectares, averagetonnage per harvest, and so on, for most chateaux, but often omits thehistories that make each estate unique, which would make for much moreinteresting reading in many cases.

3. The book's emphasis is very muchon tasting notes and numerical scores. This makes it much more of a buyer'sguide than an authoritative companion for a Bordeaux lover. Even so, manytasting notes are out of date (last tasted many years ago), so one wonderson these how much information the description (or the score) reallycommunicates. Still a "91" ten years later? Who knows? However,this minor fault is more than compensated for by the sheer volume of notes.Parker reviews for each estate vintages going back decades.

The book cankeep one occupied and coming back to it for quite awhile, so it's more thanworth a purchase price equal to a wine likely to score admirably on theParker scale. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684800152
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Bordelais    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. France    6. Reference    7. Wine And Wine-Making    8. Wine and wine making    9. Cooking / Wine & Spirits   

The Wines of Spain (Faber Books on Wine)
by Julian Jeffs
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 August, 1999)
list price: $35.00 -- our price: $35.00
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Reviews (1)

A literate monograph, and useful as well!
Why Spanish wines?
When experimenting with wines that suited mybudget (less than ten dollars a bottle), I found that most French winesdisappointed, while ALL the Spanish wines were very good.
Hence,Spanish wines.
A quotation from the book supports, at least in part,my observations -
"It is now almost impossible to buy a badRioja"

Julian Jeffs book is extremely well written, with thoroughdiscussions of the climate, the soil, the grapes, the wines and the Bodegasof the various regions in Spain.Interspersed are several interestinghistorical details and cultural and literary references.Wonderful to readin the chapter on Sherry was Falstaff's speech in praise of"sherris-sack" from Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2 quoted infull. Even better was to find out that they have a monument to G. K.Chesterton in Sitges,a Catalonian town where he oftenvisited.

Refreshingly, this book does not have any photographs - it isnot wine-porn!Instead there are lovely line drawings by Wendy Jones, thatblend in well with the text, without distracting from it.Againrefreshingly,wines are not classified individually.The book will notdrive the potential wine buyer to worrying about the relative worth andmerits of an 85 point wine compared to a 90 point wine.The classificationis done for each region by rating the vintage years on a scale of 1 (leastgood) to 7 (best).There are additional comments about individual wines inthe discussions of the Bodegas.

The book is useful for the Spanish wineenthusiast, and it is good reading for anyone interested in wine. ... Read more

Isbn: 0571175317
Sales Rank: 675451
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Non-Alcoholic    2. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Reference   

The Wines and Landscapes of Spain
by Jeremy Watson Murray Zanoni
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 June, 2000)
list price: $24.99 -- our price: $16.49
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Reviews (1)

Not for the serious Spanish wine enthusiast
Having waiting weeks to get this book on special order I have to say I am quite disappointed and now wish I had not gone through the effort to order it.Though a relative newcomer to wine, I believe that many of you doing a search for publications devoted specifically to Spanish wines are seeking in depth resources on Spain and it's wines.This is not that publication.This is a rather cursory look at Spain and contains no information that is not found in introductory pages of better Spanish wine resources out there.It also seems to be a showcase for the illustrations but a rather poor one at that as the book is quite small and would be out of place on your coffee table.Books this small, a borderline pocket guide, are better served for wine buying guides and lists.This book works harder at self promotion the author and the illustrator than anything else and comes across as too self-absorbed.

I recommend "The New Spain" by John Radford which is a far more substantial book.I recently purchased "The Wines of Spain" by Julian Jeffs on special order and look forward to that one as well as at over 400 pages should be in-depth.For cursory pocket guides, I suggest Jan Read's "Wines of Spain (Mitchell Beazley)" for pure lists as the data is also not well organized nor that deep.
... Read more

Isbn: 1862054002
Sales Rank: 297177
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Europe - Spain & Portugal    4. Travel   

Winemaker
Average Customer Review:
Magazine
list price: $29.70 -- our price: $22.00
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Reviews (2)

Wine Maker Wonderful
This is indeed a wonderful resource for all winemakers.
I learn so much from this magazine.
It is well worth the price.

Good source of home winemaking tips
This magazine is a really good source of winemaking tips for the home winemaker. Throughout the year, this magazine provides a very solid set of articles that cover a wide variety of topics. The articles are written at a level appropriate for the non-chemistry major in college who is interested in making wine. Every edition of the magazine seems to include at least one article by a commercial winemaker -- and there seem to be additional brief tips often contributed by other winemakers as well.

Like any magazine, some of the articles are less useful but, on the whole, this magazine is solidly recommended if you are either an aspiring winemaker or even someone who already has the home winemaking bug. For what it's worth, this magazine also complements "From Vines to Wines" by Jeff Cox which is a good, single source book for home winemaking. ... Read more

Asin: B00005UMOV
Sales Rank: 1839
Subjects:  1. Cooking Food & Wine    2. General    3. Home Economics    4. Food & Gourmet    5. Wine   

Wine Enthusiast
Average Customer Review:
Magazine
list price: $55.30 -- our price: $35.00
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Reviews (2)

Okay for the price, but could use some improvements
Wine Enthusiast is an average, decently priced, magazine about, of all things, wine. Less of a lifestyle magazine than Wine Spectator, and less serious in tone than Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast has its merit in that it focuses solidly on wine without the pretentious rambling that sometimes diminishes its competitors. Most of its articles are mostly accurate, if in a rudimentary way. Wine Enthusiast does not seem to rate as many wines as its competitors, which can be a problem for vertical comparisons of certain wines, including some well-known examples from Bordeaux and Burgundy. As such, I would probably not recommend Wine Enthusiast to the serious collector. Nonetheless, for its price, Wine Enthusiast offers value and adequate ratings and reviews of many wines, although I have some questions as to how they choose which wines to rate when they leave out many Sauternes in favor of white zinfandels.

Good value but not top-level
Wine Enthusiast magazine is a second-class (but not third-class) cousin to Wine Spectator magazine. Based on my reading experience with the magazine over the last year, it offers fewer articles and fewer tasting reviews. The quality of the editorial/opinions is close to comparable, though. This magazine can be a reasonable choice to read and, since it does cost just a bit less than Wine Spectator, it can offer reasonable value. ... Read more

Asin: B00005N7TK
Sales Rank: 809
Subjects:  1. Food & Gourmet    2. Wine   

Port and the Douro (Faber Books on Wine)
by Richard Mayson
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 2000)
list price: $16.00 -- our price: $16.00
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Reviews (1)

Definitive, comprehensive, informative, articulate.
Port And The Douro is the fascinating story of Port over the centuries andsurveys the remarkable physical conditions of the wine growing region ofPortugal, the grape varieties, and the vineyards that make the Douro valleyso special. Richard Mayson draws upon his many years of experience in thewine trade in general and his remarkable expertise in Port wines and howthey are made. Port And The Douro is definitive, comprehensive,informative, articulate, and greatly rewarding reading for connoisseurs,dealers, and the nonspecialist general reader seeking to select just theright Port for the occasion. ... Read more

Isbn: 0571195229
Sales Rank: 604701
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Duero River Valley (Spain and    5. Duero River Valley (Spain and Portugal)    6. Port wine    7. Portugal    8. Wine and wine making   

Port (Pocket Guide)
by Neil Mathieson
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 May, 1999)
list price: $3.99 -- our price: $3.99
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Reviews (1)

Pefect for the coffee table
This book on port is a great piece to have out on your coffee table or other visible location for guests to flip through when they come over.There is a brief history and description of the variants, followed by the meat of the book, a run down on the various brands and their origins.The book is highly informative and is a great resource for novice drinkers and the accomplished afficionado.My only complaint is that it spends too much time on the brands and not quite enough time on the variants and history of the wine.

Overall, though, a great buy and definitely something to share with friends, neighbors, and relatives.Keep a copy out during the Christmas season especially! ... Read more

Isbn: 0785810595
Sales Rank: 339544
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. General