Since the first edition, we rebuilt Wine Folly from the ground up – with over 2x the content. This is your quick reference guide to wine, whether you’re just getting started or an industry professional.

Actionable techniques on how to taste and develop your palate. Tools and exercises to fundamentally grasp the concepts of pairing food and wine.

This is a more complete reference guide including 100 wine profiles, 35 regional wine maps, 246 regional wine profiles, hundreds of wine terms and classifications, and much, much more.

'Love love love this book. It doesn't just simplify wine, it simplifies life. Essential reading.' – India Knight

• Do you frequently panic in the wine aisle and end up reaching for the same old thing. Every. Single. Time?
• Have you found yourself picking the bottle with the nicest-looking label?
• Do you automatically pick the second-cheapest wine on the list?
• Are you looking to extend your wine horizons beyond Pinot Grigio?

You need The Knackered Mother’s Wine Guide.

Come and explore the wonderful world of wine with drinks expert Helen McGinn. With tips on how to make the right wine choices for every occasion, from children’s parties (because adults need something fizzy too) to planning a wedding or matching wine with food, this book will help you to choose with confidence.

Learn what to look for in the discount deals and discover the can’t-go-wrong crowd-pleasers, perfect reds to go with your Sunday roast, the best wine to drink with chocolate, plus some unexpected suggestions for your next night in. Wine is about far more than just what's in the glass (although that's important too); it brings us together and helps us to find a moment to stop, connect and share stories. This crash-course guide will help you know what to look for in fridge-door whites, store cupboard reds so that you can make the most of time spent together to raise a glass for a special occasion, or wind-down when the kids have finally gone to bed.

Because life's too short to drink bad wine.

"Veteran wine books are by modern standards short on facts." - Decanter Magazine "This is an inspirational book well worth your time." - Eric Asimov on Instagram "If you want to learn about wine, switch off your phone, buy these two books and enjoy them with a nice glass of something." - The Critic "This is a don't-miss book for people who plan their travels around vineyards." - Washington Post In this unique approach to understanding wine, Hugh Johnson, the world's best-loved wine author, weaves the story of his own epic wine journey with an embracing view of everything he has discovered along the way. Almost without realising it, the reader is drawn into a fascinating world; with each page turned, knowledge is gained and wine wisdom absorbed. Hugh takes us from the teetering ledges of the Mosel and majestic chateaux of the Medoc to the sylvan slopes of Windsor Great Park with a spring in his step and a tasting glass at the ready. No one writes so infectiously on every aspect of wine, whether human or cultural, technical or historical. This book is peppered with anecdotes and personal recollections, infused with the sheer delight Hugh finds in his subject. It is a book with a story to tell and a mastery of wine to impart. Previously published as Wine, A Life Uncorked 2005, now updated with new chapters.

"On Champagne is the wine book that every lover of the world's most famous bubbles has been waiting for - whether they realised it or not." - Club O Enologique "...if you love champagne, this is another must-buy. And apologies for the terrible pun, but it is genuinely true - this book fizzes with wonderful stuff." - Jancis Robinson Champagne is never a simple glass of fizz... As soon as the cork flies, the first sip reveals a wine of fascinating complexity. For even the most modest non-vintage cuvee, a bevy of blending decisions, multi layers of history and the incalculable climate of this northern corner of France all come into play. In On Champagne the thoughts, opinions and conclusions of the world's finest champagne writers gather to reveal this wine's action-packed trajectory from the myth of its accidental discovery - not in France, we find, but in the cider cellars of England - to the development of a high-tech champagne fit for space travel. It's a journey that starts and ends with capturing that sparkle in a bottle and along the way beguiles us with the nuances of its chalky terrain, the determination of rebels from Ambonnay to Avize, and the mystery of a champagne cellar under the sea. We meet the pioneers who created the great champagnes of the past and the personalities who are 'greening' this landscape, nurturing it through climate change to shape the exquisite champagnes of the future.

This 43rd edition of the authoritative South African wine guide features Five Star wines out of over 8,000 wines reviewed. Platter's features descriptions of over 900 producers across the vibrant wine regions of South Africa and also offers the 100-point equivalents for the familiar star ratings, as well as useful information for learning about and travelling in these beautiful wine lands.

After 150 Bars, 150 Restaurants, 150 Hotels, 150 Houses, 150 Gardens and 150 Golf Courses, there is now 150 Vineyards You Need to Visit Before You Die. For wine lovers, both professionals and hobbyists, vineyards are must-see places. They are found in the most scenic regions in the world where you can wander for hours, or unexpectedly, right in the middle of the city. This beautifully illustrated book, the latest in the 150.. series, presents a carefully curated selection of the world's most exceptional vineyards, from Japan to Argentina and South Africa to France. In this guide you'll discover tips on how to visit the vineyards, along with interesting stories about each place, and - of course - where to taste wine. The perfect gift for the wine aficionado who dreams of travelling the world.

Andre Simon Food and Drink Book Award Longlist "This is the story of how wine brought me back from the dead." Thus begins Adam McHugh's transition through the ending of one career-as a hospice chaplain and grief counselor-into the discovery of a new life in wine among the grapevines of the Santa Ynez Valley of California. "This is the corkscrewing tale of how I got to Santa Ynez, eventually, and the questions that came up along the way," he continues. "You and I are going to take a long wine tour together on our way there, and we will make plenty of stops for a glass and some local wine history. As you will see, I reached into the old, old story of wine in order to find my new story, which begins, as so many wine love stories do, in the French countryside. Most stories about religion and drink are stories of recovery. I'm not sure if mine isn't a story about recovery too." Adam's story is one of being forced to reevaluate and remake his life when things fell apart. But more than that, it's a story about finding healing through the good gifts of wine, friends, and the beauty of wine country. Pour a glass and join the adventure from the south of France to Champagne to the California Central Coast.

"An entrancing companion for wine lovers. Celebratory, discerning writing with all the variety and unexpectedness of the wines explored." - Michele Roberts, author and Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia "This book is about feeling, tasting and describing the beauty of wine, as well as understanding the intensity of emotion that wine can engender." - Decanter Magazine "So precise and dancing, so chiselled and so free, as complex and delicious as your favourite bottle of wine, you will enjoy the world of wine differently after reading through Jefford's words." - Pascaline Lepeltier on Instagram "A new sort of literary gumption arrived on the scene with Andrew Jefford; a powerful blend of science and poetry. Here is a writer who does his interviews, delves deep into motives and methods, and then lets fly with whatever imagery he finds winging by." Hugh Johnson (2019) Poet, philosopher, author, radio presenter and journalist, Andrew Jefford lives in France; but buried deep in one wine country what does he miss most about the rest? The answer: "Drinking young port. It's the wine drinker's equivalent of zorbing, wing-walking, base-jumping ... you won't fully understand it unless you have tasted it young, in its 'Ride of the Valkyries' stage, when it comes hurtling out of the glass and puts the screamers on you..." Andrew is the ideal companion for anyone wine-curious. In this collection of his essays, opinions and articles he shares his fascinating observations from half a century of discovery. For Andrew, wine should be listened to and admired, wherever it comes from; old-school pretentions turned on their head; style-points disdained; stellar prices dismissed; questions asked...

New Zealand's wine came to the world's attention in the late 1980's with its production of some of the best quality sauvignon blancs. Since then the industry has grown significantly and has increasingly gained an international reputation as a producer of quality, boutique wines. This volume provides an innovative, multi-disciplinary and critical review of wine production and consumption focusing specifically on the fascinating wine industry of New Zealand. It considers the history, production, aesthetics, consumption and role of place (identity) from multi-disciplinary perspectives to offer insight into the impacts of wine production and consumption. By linking the study of wine to broadly constructed social, cultural, historical and transnational processes the book contributes to contemporary debates on the "life of commodities", "social class" and "place and people". Throughout comparisons are made to other internationally recognized wine regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy. This title furthers the understanding of the social/cultural context of wine production and consumption in this region and will be valuable reading to students, researchers and academics interested in gastronomy, wine studies, tourism and hospitality.

In an increasingly competitive global market, winemakers are seeking to increase their sales and wine regions to attract tourists. To achieve these aims, there is a trend towards linking wine marketing with identity. Such an approach seeks to distinguish wine products - whether wine or wine tourism - from their competitors, by focusing on cultural and geographical attributes that contribute to the image and experience. In essence, marketing wine and wine regions has become increasingly about telling stories - engaging and provocative stories which engage consumers and tourists and translate into sales. This timely book examines this phenomena and how it is leading to changes in the wine and tourism industries for the first time. It takes a global approach, drawing on research studies from around the world including old and new world wine regions. The volume is divided into three parts. The first - branding - investigates cases where established regions have sought to strengthen their brands or newer regions are striving to create effective emerging brands. The second - heritage - considers cases where there are strong linkages between cultural heritage and wine marketing. The third section - terroir - explores how a 'sense of place' is inherent in winescapes and regional identities and is increasingly being used as a distinctive selling proposition. This significant volume showcasing the connections between place, identity, variety and wine will be valuable reading for students, researchers and academics interested in tourism, marketing and wine studies.

Ten years after the publication of the highly acclaimed, award-winning "Cote D'Or: A Celebration of the Great Wines of Burgundy", the "Bible of Burgundy," Clive Coates now offers this thoroughly revised and updated sequel. This long-awaited work details all the major vintages from 2006 back to 1959 and includes thousands of recent tasting notes of the top wines. All-new chapters on Chablis and Cote Chalonnaise replace the previous volume's domaine profiles. Coates, a Master of Wine who has spent much of the last thirty years in Burgundy, considers it to be the most exciting, complex, and intractable wine region in the world, and the one most likely to yield fine wines of elegance and finesse. This book is an indispensable guide for amateur and professional alike by one of the world's leading wine experts, writing with his habitual expertise, lucidity, and unequaled firsthand knowledge.

This volume presents contemporary evidence scientific, archaeological, botanical, textual, and historical for major revisions in our understanding of winemaking in antiquity. Among the subjects covered are the domestication of the Vinifera grape, the wine trade, the iconography of ancient wine, and the analytical and archaeological challenges posed by ancient wines. The essayists argue that wine existed as long ago as 3500 BC, almost half a millennium earlier than experts believed.
Discover named these findings among the most important in 1991. Featuring the work of 23 internationally known scholars and writers, the book offers the first wide ranging treatment of wine in the early history of western Asia and the Mediterranean. Comprehensive and accessible while providing full documentation, it is sure to serve as a catalyst for future research.

Now completely revised and updated, this new edition of the essential consumer guide to wine features all the most current information for today's wine landscape. The authors, longtime wine educators at The Culinary Institute of America, have added all the latest and most relevant information to their award-winning book, including new picks for the best regional producers, off-the-beaten-path finds, and bargain bottles. With a practical, anti-snob attitude, the emphasis is always on enjoying wine to the fullest in real-world scenarios and getting the best value for your dollar, whether splurging on a special-occasion bottle or deciding on your own "house" wine. All the basics are covered, including the major wine grapes, flavor profiles, and decoding labels, plus up-to-date information on established and up-and-coming regions, advice on pairing wine with everything from Korean short ribs to all-American burgers, opinions on wine gadgets (yea or nay?), and more. Cheers

This volume presents contemporary evidence scientific, archaeological, botanical, textual, and historical for major revisions in our understanding of winemaking in antiquity. Among the subjects covered are the domestication of the Vinifera grape, the wine trade, the iconography of ancient wine, and the analytical and archaeological challenges posed by ancient wines. The essayists argue that wine existed as long ago as 3500 BC, almost half a millennium earlier than experts believed. Discover named these findings among the most important in 1991. Featuring the work of 23 internationally known scholars and writers, the book offers the first wide ranging treatment of wine in the early history of western Asia and the Mediterranean. Comprehensive and accessible while providing full documentation, it is sure to serve as a catalyst for future research.

This is a delightful gift set of two beautiful volumes in a handy-sized format, illustrated with over 200 images. "The Wine-Lover's Guide" is a fascinating distillation of facts and advice on all aspects of wine - brimming with invaluable information on wine-making regions and varieties, ageing, storing, serving, enjoying and drinking. "The Wine-Lover's Record Book" enables you to remember your successes and recall your mistakes, with cellar notes, a vintage chart and recommendations for the best wines for all occasions.

It used to be the easiest way in the wine world to get a laugh – start extolling the virtues of English wine. Oh, how they would chortle! And they had a point. Until the 1990s hardly any English wine was more than a curiosity to be drunk if you had no other choice. The old-fashioned view of English wine is that of a cottage industry made up of amateurs struggling with the mud and the drizzle. The modern view is of a country amazingly blessed with vast tracts of soil suitable for viticulture, much of it almost indistinguishable from the chalky slopes of Champagne and Chablis, and of a country taking full advantage of the vagaries of climate change to ripen Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to levels perfect for sparkling wine, and increasingly excellent still wines. And it wouldn’t be far off the mark to say that England is now the newest of the New World, New Wave wine countries.

The 1990s brought several pioneering sparkling wine producers to the fore – led by Nyetimber and Breaky Bottom and suddenly England has found its wine vocation. Oz has long been a champion of English wines and this book helps you find the best wines, from fizz, whites, some impressive reds and even dessert and orange wines.

One of the great pleasures of wine is to drink it where it is grown and made. Both wine handbook and armchair companion, English Wine is an essential book for all lovers of wine. The opportunity to meet growers, winemakers and winery owners is what draws people to visit wineries and ‘have an experience in the vineyard’.

There is no better way to enjoy wine than at its source, and this unique slipcase set brings together two definitive guides to the great wines of the world, from their birthplace in Europe to America's blossoming regional viniculture. "Wine Country Europe" is a dream tour of the Old World's most celebrated regions, from the famed areas of France, Italy, and Portugal to lesser-known discoveries in Austria and Hungary. And "Wine Country USA" will inspire you to explore some of the amazing wineries that have sprung up across the country. Each book highlights the best places to tour vineyards, taste wines, buy bottles to take home, and see local historic sights along the way, and includes an invaluable "Labels to Look For" section of extensive tasting notes. Beautifully illustrated with hundreds of color photographs and written by experts in the field, the Wine Country books are indispensable guides to the world's most inviting wine journeys.

This book is a round-the-year guide to wine and beer making, covering dry and sweet wines, beers, lagers, liqueurs and fortified wines. In the introduction, the author explains the basic principles of the craft and advises on health and safety and the choice, use and care of equipment. The main body of the text, fully illustrated with delicate line drawings, is a season-by-season guide to ingredients and recipes for making wines and beers to suit all tastes.

"Associations and societies such as the Bordeaux Club are the very acme of civilization. Botticelli and Bach were engaged in the eternal quest for truth and beauty in painting and music, and the Bordeaux Club did the same for viniculture." - Andrew Roberts The story of 12 friends who gathered to share and celebrate the extraordinary wines of Bordeaux. Like-minded in their love of wine, they differed wildly (often alarmingly!) in their personal wealth, life and circumstances - their opinions, always voiced, had the power to ignite anger and divide friendships just as easily as they bound them together. Neil McKendrick, member and minute-taker for 57 of the Club's 70 extraordinary years, weaves the tale of this convivial group with the rigour of a Cambridge academic (he is ex-Master of Gonville and Caius) and the humour of a born raconteur. Alongside the likes of Hugh Johnson, Steven Spurrier and Michael Broadbent, he celebrates the beauty of top-class Bordeaux and the splendour of each setting - from glorious country park to rickety Dickensian boardroom - in which these men were lucky enough to dine, serving up memories of vintages the like of which we will never see again.

Direct Wines, The Sunday Times Wine Club, Laithwaites or just Wine People. Known by various names over the last 50 years, Laithwaites is now the top wine company in the UK and a leading example of a thriving family business turned empire.

In the 1960s young geography student Tony Laithwaite took a job washing wine bottles in Bordeaux and soon fell head-over-heels in love with the wine and the people who make it. After his inspiring time in Bordeaux, he took a van stocked with his favourite French wines back to the UK to share with friends and neighbours at home as part of a small start-up business. He wrote to Harold Evans at the Times to persuade him of the superior quality of his imported wine, and they soon joined forces to set up the hugely successful Sunday Times Wine Club. It wasn't long before hundreds of small wineries around the world were queuing to take part in Tony's venture, which transformed from a tiny operation to a massive business virtually overnight. Today, nearly 50 years on from its foundation in 1969, Laithwaites' parent company Direct Wines is the world's number one home-delivery wine merchant with operations in the UK, US and Australia and New Zealand.

Direct: Tony Laithwaite My Story is not just the remarkable story of a wine company, or its wines, but a tale of the people who have created its success. Filled with rich archive imagery and newly commissioned illustrations by David Eldridge, as well as anecdotes of Tony's early years in France, this inspirational memoir is perfect to enjoy with your favourite bottle of wine.