This splendidly festive book, with its pithy quotations, lucid explanations and colourful illustrations explains the history and flavourful culture of wine. So this year, before you lift your cup to celebrate, add some history, some fun and some culture to your evening with "The Romance of Wine".

This book tells the story of the ancient land named Chianti and the modern wine appellation known as Chianti Classico. In 1716, Tuscany's penultimate Medici ruler, Cosimo III, anointed the region of Chianti, along with three smaller areas in the Florentine State, as the world's first legal appellations of origin for wine. In the succeeding centuries, this milestone was all but forgotten. By the late nineteenth century, the name Chianti, rather than signifying this historic region and its celebrated wine, identified a simple Italian red table wine in a straw-covered flask. In the twenty-first century, Chianti Classico emerged as one of Italy's most dynamic and fashionable wine zones. Chianti Classico relates the fascinating evolution of Chianti as a wine region and reveals its geographic and cultural complexity. Bill Nesto, MW, and Frances Di Savino explore the townships of Chianti Classico and introduce readers to the modern-day winegrowers who are helping to transform the region. The secrets of Sangiovese, the principal vine variety of Chianti, are also revealed as the book unlocks the myths and mysteries of one of Italy's most storied wine regions. The publication of Chianti Classico coincides with the three hundredth anniversary of the Medici decree delimiting the region of Chianti on September 24, 1716.

If you love Holly Martin, Sarah Morgan and Jill Shalvis, you'll love Jaci Burton! What readers are saying about The Engagement Arrangement! 'What a lovely summer read! The vineyard setting was so idyllic and romantic' Don't miss The Best Man Plan - out now! A 'sweet and hot friends-to-lovers story' set in a gorgeous vineyard! 'Always sexy, romantic and charming' Jill Shalvis 'The characters leap off the page and the romance sparkles' Romantic Times What do you do when you develop feelings for your fake fiance? Jaci Burton's next Boots and Bouquets novel is an accidentally-in-love romance sure to warm your heart. Brenna Bellini is never going to get married again. She's thrilled to be her friend's bridesmaid though - that is, until she realizes who else is in the wedding party. Brenna's going to have to spend four days in the company of not only her ex-husband, but also her high school nemesis. There's no way she'll let the fact she's single be rubbed in her face all weekend. She's going to find herself a fake fiance. Finn Nolan has had it bad for Brenna ever since he came from Ireland to work at the Bellini family vineyard. After falling for Brenna from afar, this Irish cowboy is determined to take the chance to show the woman of his dreams that he is her Mr Right. So what does a confirmed never-getting-married-again woman do when the man of her dreams unexpectedly lands right in front of her? Because for the first time, she might not be able to walk away. This time it might be forever. Want more fun romance? Look out for more cowboys and weddings in the Boots and Bouquets series and check out Jaci's gorgeously romantic Hope series beginning with Hope Flames. Or, to turn up the heat, look out for Jaci's sizzling Brotherhood by Fire and Play-By-Play series which began with The Perfect Play.

In these fascinating interviews, winemakers from the United States and abroad clarify the complex process of converting grapes into wine, with more than forty vintners candidly discussing how a combination of talent, passion, and experience shape the outcome of their individual wines. Each winemaker details their personal approach to the various steps required to convert grapes into wine. Natalie Berkowitz speaks to winemakers from different backgrounds who work in diverse wine-producing regions, including Chile, England, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and the United States. They talk about familiar and unfamiliar grape varietals, their struggles with local terroirs, and the vagaries of Mother Nature. Some represent small family wineries with limited production while others work for corporations producing hundreds of thousands of bottles. Each individual offers rare insight into how new technologies are revolutionizing historic winemaking practices. The interviews are supplemented with personal recipes and maps of winemaking regions. An aroma wheel captures the vast array of wine's complex flavors and aromas.

This book covers the basics of making wine and how and what various types differ. The author shows you how to train your palate so that you are able judge the relative qualities of the wine you produce. It includes 55 recipes as well as instructions for racking, processing and maturing.

Sought after by European aristocrats and a favorite of Napoleon Bonaparte, the sweet wines of Constantia in the Cape Colony were considered to be among the world's best during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. During the first democratic elections in 1994, South Africa began to re-emerge onto the international wine scene. Tim James, an expert on South African wines, takes the reader on an information-packed tour of the region, showing us how and why the unique combination of terroir and climate, together with dramatic improvements in winemaking techniques, result in wines that are once again winning accolades. James describes important grape varieties and wine styles - from delicate sparkling, to rich fortified, and everything in between - including the varietal blends that produce some of the finest Cape wines. Anchoring his narrative in a rich historical context, James discusses all the major wine regions, from Cederberg to Walker Bay, complete with profiles of more than 150 of the country's finest producers.

Once people made country wines solely from the fruits of their gardens and local hedgerows, but today there is a wide range of fascinating ingredients available - grape juice, concentrates, grains, dried fruit, exotic fruit juices - to allow winemakers to pursue their crafts all year round, independent of fruiting seasons. Now in its third edition, this book has already reprinted forty-one times and has sold over 500,000 copies. It contains (in alphabetical order from Almond Wine to Yarrow Wine) 130 tried and reliable recipes for country wines and real ales, many of which are unique to this publication and which supplement those found in the author's primer First Steps in Winemaking. The book is illustrated by the well-known winemaking cartoonist Rex Royle.

The purchase and consumption of wine, whether in hospitality environments or domestic settings, has huge anthropological significance underpinned by a discourse of wine appreciation. It can be seen as a multi-sensory and symbolically status-rich activity framed by historical, social, cultural and ethical discourses. This innovative book offers a critical study of wine from social and cultural perspectives. The field of wine studies spans the spectrum of cultural and technical issues concerning the place of wine in society from viticulture, vinification, labelling, regulation, marketing, purchasing, storage and its final consumption. It combines social history and contemporary questions including the notion of terroir, the nature of protected wine designations, the pricing of wine and the different motivations for buying and consuming wine. It considers wine as a beverage, as an aesthetic exercise and as a marker of status, as well as health implications and legal controls. The title offers a timely contribution into the significance of wine and the role of knowledge, both of which have conceptual and managerial implications in terms of marketing, promotion, consumption and distribution. By offering a holistic and innovative understanding of wine and its consumption, it is a must-read for students and scholars in the fields of wine and social science.

"A great primer. . . . If you're new to the natural/organic/biodynamic wine debates, Authentic Wine is the place to start."--Huffington Post
"This is one of the most engaging, thoughtful and enlightening books on contemporary wine. . . . A manifesto for an industry looking to shape its future."--Wine And Spirits

Naturalness is a hot topic in the wine world. But what exactly is a "natural wine"? For this pioneering book, best-selling wine writer Jamie Goode teams up with winemaker and Master of Wine Sam Harrop to explore the wide range of issues surrounding authenticity in wine. They begin by emphasizing that wine's diversity, one of its strengths, is currently under threat from increasingly homogenized commercial wines that lack a sense of place. Drawing on a global array of examples and anecdotes, Goode and Harrop examine complex concepts--terroir, biodynamics, and sustainability--in clear language. They also discuss topics including cultured and wild yeasts, wine "faults," the carbon footprint of the wine industry, "natural" as a marketing concept, and more. "Authentic Wine" illuminates a subject of great interest to wine producers, consumers, and anyone wondering where the wine industry is headed.

I Taste Red is the first book of its kind to address and relate all the different sensory and psychological factors that shape our experience of tasting wine. Award-winning author Jamie Goode explores how our sensory system, psychology, philosophy, and flavor chemistry all play a central part in our perception and enjoyment of wine. He uses case studies, grounded in practice, to demonstrate his theory and to illuminate his conclusions about how language and sensory output help us construct our recognition and interpretation of flavor. He examines whether wine tasting as a skill is objective or subjective and the implications of this distinction for wine experts. Delving deep into the science of wine but bringing in the influences of psychology, language, and philosophy, this book is a must-read for all lovers of wine.

In "Postmodern Winemaking," Clark Smith shares the extensive knowledge he has accumulated in engaging, humorous, and erudite essays that convey a new vision of the winemaker's craft--one that credits the crucial roles played by both science and art in the winemaking process. Smith, a leading innovator in red wine production techniques, explains how traditional enological education has led many winemakers astray--enabling them to create competent, consistent wines while putting exceptional wines of structure and mystery beyond their grasp. Great wines, he claims, demand a personal and creative engagement with many elements of the process. His lively exploration of the facets of postmodern winemaking, together with profiles of some of its practitioners, is both entertaining and enlightening.

Wine may be one of the world s oldest beverages, but it s never been a better time to pour a glass. Whether you prefer robust reds or crisp, zippy whites, you ll find lots to drink in in this pocket-sized guide packed with information, how-tos, and trivia for wine enthusiasts of every variety. Seasoned sommeliers and newbie wine fans alike will learn expert tasting techniques, which glassware to use and when, how to pair wine with food, how to build a wine collection (no fancy cellar needed!) and even how to open a bottle of wine when no one brought a corkscrew. Plus, guides to wine lingo, proper serving temperatures, and the best wines for every price point. Like all STUFF titles, the handy size and attractive package make this book perfect for a gift. Sante!

Italian Wines is the English-language version of Gambero Rosso's Vini d'Italia, the world's best-selling guide to Italian wine. It is the result of a year's work by over 60 tasters, coordinated by three curators. They travel around the entire country to taste 45,000 wines, only half of which make it into the guide. More than 2,500 producers have been selected. Each entry brings together useful information about the winery, including a description of its most important labels and price levels in Italian wine shops. Each wine is evaluated according to the Gambero Rosso bicchieri rating, with Tre Bicchieri awarded to the top labels. The guide is an essential tool for both wine professionals and passionate amateurs around the globe: it provides the instruments for finding one's way in the complex panorama of Italy's wine world.

Welcome to The Periodic Table of Wine! Instead of hydrogen to helium, here you'll find Chardonnay to Shiraz - grape varieties and wine names, as you would find wine in shops, arranged following the logical ordering of The Periodic Table of Elements. Wine expert Sarah Rowland has arranged 127 wines by their essential colour, aroma and flavour properties, from white to rose to red and including sparkling, fortified and sweet wines too. The result is an engaging pocket guide to wine that makes navigating wine lists and off-licence shelves hassle free and easy for anyone. Do you tend to stick to what you know and like? Find your favourite wine in the table and, in theory, you should like all the other wines in the same column and also the wines immediately to the left or right, regardless of colour, because they all share characteristics you'll enjoy. Then find out why they are similar, how to enjoy them, what to pair them with and even more wines to try in this expert guide.

Denton Marks uses economic analysis, in plain and simple language, to demystify the wine world and to enrich our understanding of it. This remarkable book could well serve as an introduction to the wine industry for economists or as an introduction to economics for the wine industry. Up to date and thorough, Marks has undertaken a prodigious task.' - Orley Ashenfelter, Princeton University, and Co-Founder and President, American Association of Wine Economists, US'What is welcome with Denton Marks's book is its exploration beyond the narrow focus of wine pricing. The outline of how wine fits into key economic processes is illuminating, and the understanding of the political economy of wine is especially helpful. Crucially, the examination of how wine functions as a cultural good is a real expansion of our understanding of its social and economic context, underlining that value is not merely a financial construct but includes intangible, symbolic meaning as well.' - Steve Charters MW, School of Wine and Spirits Business, Burgundy School of Business, France 'Denton Marks's book fills a void in both the economics and the wine-related literature. It offers the economics student insights into the wine world and the wine professionals insights into economic thinking. Certainly, this is the first 'wine economics' textbook.' - Karl Storchmann, New York University, US and Managing Editor, Journal of Wine Economics 'Marks harvests wine's potential as a lens through which to view human economic behavior- and economic misbehavior - taking readers on a sophisticated but accessible and comprehensive tour of the fascinating nooks and crannies of the wine market. Perhaps the crowning achievement is the original and thought-provoking treatment of some of the thorniest philosophical and scientific dilemmas unique to wine, including price signals, asymmetric information, and sensory intersubjectivity. This is a much-needed book from an economist who knows the subject.' - Robin Goldstein, Author of The Wine Trials, Blind Taste, and blindtaste.com/ 'Most professions show a professional interest in wine, and economics is no exception: it can help us understand how wine markets work. But since economics is considered by many as a rather 'dry' subject, wine can boost student enthusiasm for economics. This book exploits those two interests by helping non-economists understand wine producer and consumer behavior and helping college students understand economics.' - Kym Anderson, Wine Economics Research Centre, University of Adelaide and Australian National University, Australia Wine and the wine trade are steeped in culture and history; few products have consistently enjoyed both cultural importance and such wide distribution over time even seen by some as 'an elixir of life'. While wine has been produced and consumed for centuries, what is distinctive about the economics of wine? Professor Marks's book is an accessible exploration of the economics of wine, using both basic principles and specialized topics and emphasizing microeconomics and related research. Drawing upon economic themes such as International Trade and Public Choice, Wine and Economics also relates economic reasoning to management issues in wine markets. The discussion ranges from economic fundamentals and wine and government, to the challenge of knowing what is in the bottle and the importance of wine as a cultural good. This novel and comprehensive introduction to the subject is an invaluable resource for students, scholars and anyone interested in wine and the wine industry.

From celebrations of Bacchus in ancient Rome to the Last Supper and casual dinner parties, wine has long been a key component of festivities, ceremonies, and celebrations. Made by almost every civilization throughout history, in every part of the world, wine has been used in religious ceremonies, inspired artists and writers, been employed as a healing medicine, and, most often, sipped as way to relax with a gathering of friends. Yet, like all other forms of alcohol, wine has also had its critics, who condemn it for the drunkenness and bad behavior that arise with its overconsumption. Wine can render you tongue-tied or philosophical; it can heal wounds or damage health; it can bring society together or rend it. In this fascinating cultural history of wine, John Varriano takes us on a tour of wine's lively story, revealing the polarizing effect wine has had on society and culture through the ages.

From its origins in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to the expanding contemporary industries in Australia, New Zealand, and America, Varriano examines how wine is made and how it has been used in rituals, revelries, and remedies throughout history. In addition, he investigates the history of wine's transformative effects on body and soul in art, literature, and science from the mosaics of ancient Rome to the poetry of Dickinson and Neruda and the paintings of Caravaggio and Manet.

A spirited exploration, this book will delight lovers of sauvignon blanc or pinot noir, as well as those who are interested in the rich history of human creativity and consumption.

For fans of Italian wine, few names command the level of respect accorded to Brunello di Montalcino. Expert wine writer Kerin O'Keefe has a deep personal knowledge of Tuscany and its extraordinary wine, and her account is both thoroughly researched and readable. Organized as a guided tour through Montalcino's geography, this essential reference also makes sense of Brunello's complicated history, from its rapid rise to the negative and positive effects of the 2008 grape-blending scandal dubbed "Brunellogate". O'Keefe also provides in-depth profiles of nearly sixty leading producers of Brunello.

The moment he was handed a glass of Cockburn 1908 vintage port by his grandfather at 13 years old, Steven Spurrier knew he would make wine his career. He travelled Europe in his red sports car (fitted with a compact wine fridge in the boot), working the vintage in Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne, before his first extraordinary move was to set up shop and sell wine to the French. As an Englishman in the heart of Paris, this seemed a remarkably bold (if not foolish) project, but the plan worked. Steven's adventures in wine did not stop there. In 1976, he went on to mastermind the 'Judgement of Paris', the France v California blind tasting that changed the wine world forever. This memoir looks back on Steven's life charting the incidents, adventures, ideas and discoveries that formed his wine journey. With tributes from Hugh Johnson, Miguel Torres, Oz Clarke, Jancis Robinson MW, Warren Winiarski and many more...

Riesling is the world's seventh most-planted white wine grape variety and among the fastest growing over the past twenty years. It is a personal favorite of many sommeliers, chefs, and other food and wine professionals for its appealing aromatics, finesse, and minerality; for its uncanny ability to reflect terroir; and for its impressive versatility with cuisines of all types. It is stylistically paradoxical, however. Now usually made dry in most of Europe and Australia, and assumed dry by most German consumers, Riesling is made mostly sweet or lightly sweet in North America and is believed sweet in the American marketplace irrespective of origin. Riesling is thus consequently - but mistakenly-shunned by the mainstream of American wine drinkers, whose tastes and habits have been overwhelmingly dry for two generations. Riesling Rediscovered looks at the present state of dry Riesling across the Northern Hemisphere: where it is grown and made, what models and objectives vintners have in mind, and what parameters of grape growing and winemaking are essential when the goal is a delicious dry wine. John Winthrop Haeger explores the history of Riesling to illuminate how this variety emerged from a crowded field of grape varieties grown widely across northern Europe. Riesling Rediscovered is a comprehensive, current, and accessible overview of what many consider to be the world's finest and most versatile white wine.

Nicolas Joly is responsible for producing some of the finest and most highly esteemed wines of France at his Coulee de Serrant vineyard. Practising the biodynamic method of agriculture - sometimes referred to as 'premium organic' - he is at the forefront of a movement to return to the concept of terroir, as full expression and embodiment of a particular grape-growing locality, or appelation. Today even expensive wines, made under strictly regulated controls and standards, are tainted by the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and manipulated in the cellar through the use of osmosis and the additions of aromatic yeasts and enzymes. To counter such trends, a new 'Charter of Quality', run by organic and biodynamic viticulturists, guarantees that the appelation comes to full, authentic expression. To aid this process, biodynamic winegrowers like Joly use special planting methods and preparations that enhance and invigorate the soil, bringing it into harmony with the forces of sun, moon and cosmos to embed the vine in a rich, living context.

Adventures with Old Vines offers an engaging and knowledgeable guide to demystify wine for novice enthusiasts. Richard Chilton provides detailed information about buying and storing wine, how to read a wine list, the role of the sommelier, wine fraud, how wine is really made, and how weather patterns can influence the quality of a vintage. A vineyard owner and lifelong wine lover, the author encourages readers to discover wine by tasting, taking notes, and tasting again. The book also includes a richly illustrated, full-color reference section on a select group of vineyards from all over the world, describing their history, winemaking philosophy, terroir, and top vintages-what Chilton calls benchmark wines. The characteristics of these memorable wines provide the essential starting point to understand what to look for when evaluating any wine. Equipped with this easy-to-read reference, readers will have all the tools they need to begin their own wine journey.

This 41st edition of the authoritative South African wine guide features 211 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. The guide's independent ratings and reviews are the result of a best-of-both-worlds system of sighted and blind tastings.

Winner of the André Simon Drinks Book of the Year Award 2017. Winner of the IACP award in Wine, Beer & Spirits 2018.

A stunning box set, complete with seven vintage maps in a pull-out drawer.

Based on six years of on-the-ground research and unprecedented access to actual Champagne growers, Champagne is the first book to actually describe producers and wines based on their terroir – enlightening readers by showing them exactly where, how, and by whom these great wines are made.

Champagne is one of the most iconic, sought-after wines in the world, beloved by serious wine collectors as well as everyday wine drinkers. However, it is also one of the most misunderstood wines out there – obscured by a multimillion-pound marketing industry that makes it difficult for consumers to honestly judge value and understand what they’re drinking.

Included in the stunning box set are the Louis Larmat vinicultural maps – the only detailed wine maps of the region, which were commissioned by the French government in the mid-1940s and have never appeared in print in English.

Champagne: Wine of Kings and the King of Wines guides you through the astounding history of how this delicious drink became the hallmark of celebrations, commiserations and partying across the globe. It covers the process of making champagne and the vintage years and the special cuvees; the history of champagne; individual entries on all the major Champagne Houses, the lesser estates, co-operatives, growers and variations of sparkling wine; the social and cultural impact of champagne - how it has become a part of certain traditions; by a man with great knowledge of the drinks business, the beautifully illustrated Champagne: Wine of Kings and the King of Wines is for the connoisseur and the newcomer alike.