French Wine For Dummies explores all the major wine regions of France -- from The Rhone Valley to Alsace, with special emphasis on the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, the most important wine regions of France (and possibly the world). This friendly guide explains how France names its wines and decodes French wine labels. It describes classic combinations of French wine with foods, with a new look at some versatile French wines with various types of food. Plus, it details how to buy, drink, and store French wines.

There is no other wine that is as versatile, as utterly unique in its range and production methods--and, unfortunately, as misunderstood--as sherry. For centuries, sherry was considered one of the world's great wines, spoken about in the same reverential terms as the finest Bordeaux and Burgundies. But in the last few decades, sherry lost its way--and cheap, cloyingly sweet blends sullied the reputation of what remains one of Spain's oldest and greatest winemaking traditions.
Thankfully, sherry is in the midst of a renaissance. Beloved of sommeliers and bartenders in the craft cocktail community, today sherry is being re-discovered and re-appreciated as an incredible table wine "and "essential component of many classic cocktails.
"Sherry "is essential reading for wine or spirits professionals looking to incorporate this complex wine into their menu, and for adventurous drink enthusiasts who are on the hunt for something unexpected. With a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the different styles of sherry, how they are made, and the people and places that produce it, "Sherry "demystifies what can be a confusing (and seemingly contradictory) wine. A thorough buyer's guide lists top producers and profiles the very best bodegas and wines.
Finally, a whole chapter on sherry-based cocktails illuminates a completely different side of sherry, featuring classic recipes like the Tuxedo and Sherry Cobbler, as well as modern creations from the country's top bartenders (Jim Meehan's East India Negroni, Derek Brown's Kojo Cocktail). More than a dozen recipes for tapas and other delicious foods--best eaten alongside a glass of sherry, of course--round out this wonderfully eclectic, engaging, and inspiring collection.

Bill Smith's introduction to winemaking happened when he worked in California, where he visited wineries in the Napa Valley. Back in England, he became a keen amateur winemaker. Adapting his skills as a research scientist in anaerobic fermentation to winemaking, the author soon became a prize-winner at shows, furthering his interest in the hobby by becoming a National Wine Judge He wrote this book for winemakers at all levels; all aspects of home winemaking are discussed from the basic equipment to the Wine Clubs that are the backbone of this widespread hobby. It gives the author's own views on methods that will improve on standard winemaking techniques and concludes with a selection of over fifty recipes from him and his winemaking friends.

"A fascinating book that belongs on every wine lover's bookshelf."-The Wine Economist "It's a book to read for its unstoppable torrent of fascinating and often surprising details."-Andrew Jefford, Decanter For centuries, wine has been associated with France more than with any other country. France remains one of the world's leading wine producers by volume and enjoys unrivaled cultural recognition for its wine. If any wine regions are global household names, they are French regions such as Champagne, Bordeaux, and Burgundy. Within the wine world, products from French regions are still benchmarks for many wines. French Wine is the first synthetic history of wine in France: from Etruscan, Greek, and Roman imports and the adoption of wine by beer-drinking Gauls to its present status within the global marketplace. Rod Phillips places the history of grape growing and winemaking in each of the country's major regions within broad historical and cultural contexts. Examining a range of influences on the wine industry, wine trade, and wine itself, the book explores religion, economics, politics, revolution, and war, as well as climate and vine diseases. French Wine is the essential reference on French wine for collectors, consumers, sommeliers, and industry professionals.

"Hands down the wine book of the year." -David McIntyre, Washington Post "...paints a glorious picture of Bordeaux as seen through the skittish and mischievously observant eyes of Somerville and Ross - cousins and writing partners." -Victoria Moore, The Telegraph Journeying through the Medoc in the autumn of 1891, Anglo-Irish cousins and travelling companions, Edith Somerville and Martin Ross (aka Violet Florence Martin) bring their distinctive melange of wry wit, acute observation and unabashed horror at the barefoot treading of Cabernet Sauvignon to this delightful account of vendangeurs lofty and low-born as they bring in the harvest in time-honoured fashion. Illustrated using Somerville's equally delightful sketches, this is a story of two feisty ladies for whom anything remotely pretentious is fair game. Better known for their tales of an Irish R. M. (resident magistrate), Somerville and Ross outraged their respective families - who referred to them 'the Shockers' - by combining travel writing with the fight for Women's Suffrage. The contrast between the emancipated pair and the largely unreconstructed characters they encounter on their travels only serves to heighten the charm of an already indelibly charming book. The Classic Editions breathe new life into some of the finest wine-related titles written in the English language over the last 150 years. Although these books are very much products of their time - a time when the world of fine wine was confined mostly to the frontiers of France and the Iberian Peninsula and a First Growth Bordeaux or Grand Cru Burgundy wouldn't be beyond the average purse - together they recapture a world of convivial, enthusiastic amateurs and larger-than-life characters whose love of fine vintages mirrored that of life itself.

Some stories suggest that mead was originally discovered when one of our not-yet-upright forebears stuck their hand in a fermenting bee hive and came away with a honeycomb containing a little more than they bargained for. Whatever the truth, brewers have brought this beverage into the twenty-first century, and you can rest assured that "The Complete Guide to Making Mead" is a thoroughly up-to-date, modern, and authoritative guide to homemade mead. Best of all, it has something for everyone, from the stone-cold beginner to the seasoned veteran. Award-winning mead-maker Steve Piatz begins with a brief history of the fermented beverage; a rundown of the various types of mead; and a discussion of the many types of honey that are available, their characteristics, and where to source them. Readers will be treated to discussions of yeast and special ingredients, as well as what equipment is necessary and reccomended and an illustrated and detailed look at the basic process. Readers will also discover advanced techniques, such as oaking, clarifying, aging, spicing, and blending. There are even sections on developing recipes and troubleshooting problems with the brewing process.With more than 100 color photos, "The Complete Guide to Making Mead" includes dozens of recipes for basic meads (honey only), melomels (honey and fruit), metheglins (honey and spices), and braggots (honey and malt).

This title takes us on a definitive tour through the world of wine, with over 500 photographs, maps and wine labels. This is a globetrotting journey through the world's wine regions, from Bordeaux to Rioja, from the Lebanon to California, and from South Africa's Cape to Australia's Barossa Valley, including notes on the top vintages to look for. It focuses on 12 major grape varieties from Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to Gewurztraminer and Gamay, discussing their aromas, flavours and typical characteristics. It explores the principles of tasting wine - identifying dryness, sweetness, acidity, tannin, oak and fruit - plus how to create your own collection in a cellar, a guide to corkscrews and glasses, how to let wine breathe, and which foods go best with which wines. This is a fully revised and updated edition of a classic reference, with over 460 wine and grape photographs, wine labels and hand-painted maps. Written for those who simply enjoy drinking wine and for connoisseurs looking for a deeper knowledge of a fascinating subject, this book is a comprehensive, authoritative and accessible guide that will provide readers with the confidence and enthusiasm to explore in depth for themselves. Country by country, and region by region, the book journeys around the world to drop in on familiar and lesser-known producers, and studies the world's 12 major grape varieties, describing their aromas and flavours. It is a fully updated major reference on the fascinating world of wines and winemaking.

Acclaimed importer and wine guru Terry Theise, long known for his top-notch portfolio and his illustrious writing, now offers this opinionated, idiosyncratic, and beautifully written testament to wine. What constitutes beauty in wine, and how do we appreciate it? What role does wine play in a soulful, sensual life? And can wines of place survive in a world of globalized styles and 100-point scoring systems? In his highly approachable style, Theise describes how wine can be a portal to aesthetic, emotional, even mystical experience - and he frankly asserts that these experiences are most likely to be inspired by wines from artisan producers.

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.

The Way to Make Wine reveals everything needed to make delicious wines - both reds and whites - from start to finish. Rich with insider know-how, this book divulges the many practical advances made in the past few decades and demonstrates that do-it-yourself winemaking is now simpler and more rewarding than ever. Straightforward illustrations of key tools and steps help make this book one-stop shopping for wine lovers, beer brewers, avid cooks, or anyone who's ever dreamed of producing table wines at home. This updated and expanded edition features: new how-to illustrations; tips and techniques from accomplished professional winemakers; up-to-date information on the rewards and challenges of running natural wine fermentations; and fresh ways to apply your home-brewing knowledge to make remarkable reds and whites. Providing concise, clear, and practical guidance, Sheridan Warrick shows that making your own wine is not only easy but also a pleasure.

Interest in wine has steadily increased in recent years, with people far more sophisticated about wine than they used to be. And, inevitably, those who take a serious interest in wine find themselves asking questions about it that are at heart philosophical.
Questions of Taste is the first book to tackle these questions, illuminating the philosophical issues surrounding our love of wine. Featuring lucid essays by top philosophers, a linguist, a biochemist, and a winemaker and wine critic, this book applies their critical and analytical skills to answer--or at least understand--many thorny questions. Does the experience of wine lie in the glass or in our minds? Does the elaborate language we use to describe wine--alluding to the flavors of cheese or fruit, or to a wine's "suppleness" or "brawniness"---really mean anything at all? Can two people taste one wine in the same way? Does a wine expert enjoy wine more than a novice? These questions and others are not just the concern of the wine lover, but go to the heart of how we think about the world around us--and are the province of the philosopher.
With a foreword by leading wine authority Jancis Robinson (editor of the highly acclaimed Oxford Companion to Wine), this volume will be of interest to anyone who thinks seriously about the experience of enjoying wine, as well as those interested in seeing philosophy applied to the world of the everyday.

A professional booze writer whose life spins out of control tries to piece it back together by embarking upon an epic wine-fueled adventure that takes him to every corner of the U.S. Part vision quest, part guidebook, part journey into the bizarre tapestry of American life, it will make you laugh, make you cry and teach you a whole lot about wine. Former Playboy magazine nightlife columnist Dan Dunn has a made a career out of drinking. Yet this man's man-a connoisseur of beer and whiskey-knew next to nothing about one of the major drinks enjoyed the world over: wine. When a fateful tasting experience coincided with a serious existential crisis, Dunn decided to hit the road on a journey of discovery. To quench his thirst for knowledge (and be able to throw down with the experts), he would educate himself about the industry glass by glass, from winery to winery, in nearly every region in the United States. His bold 15,000-mile road trip took Dunn from Sonoma, California, to Pawley's Island, South Carolina, where he twirled, sniffed, and sipped glass after glass of a vast array of wines with vintners, savants, and celebrities, including Kurt Russell and "The Most Interesting Man in the World," Jonathan Goldsmith. Dunn's mission was to transform himself from a heartbroken schlub who barely knew the difference between Merlot and Meritage, into a confident connoisseur capable of wowing others simply by swirling some fermented grape juice around in his mouth and pronouncing it "troubling, yet brilliant." In American Wino, Dunn shares it all-the good, the bad, the sublime. As his wine knowledge grows and becomes more complex, he shares it with the reader in the form of digestible, actionable nuggets in each chapter. It's like a wine-tasting course at your local community college extension program, only with more sex and less crushing despair. An intoxicating blend of travel writing, memoir, and booze journalism that pairs earthy humor with fine wine for hilarious and enlightening results, it is the story of one man's journey to find himself-and everyman's journey to better understand the true spirit of this divine elixir.

Wine insiders called Andre Tchelistcheff the "winemaker's winemaker," the "wine doctor," and simply "maestro." After Prohibition brought Napa Valley and its wine industry to the brink of catastrophe, Tchelistcheff (1901-94) proved essential in its revitalization. Tchelistcheff's unique background-a sickly child, a Russian emigre forced from his homeland during the Bolshevik Revolution, a White Army lieutenant who fought in the Crimea, a physical laborer in a Bulgarian coal mine, a Czechoslovakian-trained agronomist, and a French-schooled viticulturist and enologist-prepared him for a remarkable winemaking career. He spent thirty-five years in Napa Valley's Beaulieu Vineyard and nearly two "post-retirement" decades doing freelance consulting work for more than thirty wineries. His early struggles forged his principal character traits, which he passed on to an entire generation of winemakers. His students, including some of the most accomplished winemakers of the post-Prohibition period, marveled over their mentor's sense of authority, profound insight, humble presence, and abundant wisdom. This inspiring account of Tchelistcheff's life includes interviews with friends, family, and mentees, which reveal how one man used his passion and knowledge to help save a community on the edge of disaster. In Maestro James O. Gump preserves the memory of a fascinating individual and one of the most influential winemakers of the modern era.

Can't remember what wine your mum loves? Give her this book and she can try them all . . . The perfect gift for wine lovers and anyone looking to improve their understanding of the world of wine. A Fortnum & Mason Drink Book of the Year Red or white? Cabernet or Merlot? Medium or full-bodied? Drinking great wine isn't hard, but finding a great wine is much easier when you understand the fundamentals. Using visual infographics, charts and maps, the expert founders of Wine Folly have created the ultimate wine resource packed with countless facts, information and guidance. From tips on which glasses to use, and easy-to-grasp flavour wheels for each wine type, to simple tasting and food-pairing notes, Wine Folly is a fascinating modern and colourful guide. This accessible book will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to enjoy great wines in a whole new way.

Anyone looking for delicious food and wine, stunning landscapes and a warm welcome will find Germany wine country truly delightful. Germany''s different regions have the largest hectarage of vines of any country in Europe. A Traveller's Wine Guide to Germany provides a basic introduction to German wine, from the vineyards to the cellars, with guidelines on what to expect when sampling it. It also takes the wine tourist on a journey through remote areas that are infrequently visited in order to taste the best of German wines. - Itineraries and maps - Local gastronomic specialties - Hundreds of visitor-friendly wineries - Descriptions of local and regional wines - Museums and sightseeing points - Lists of wine festivals and exhibitions - Restaurants, hotels and wine stores - Reference section, websites and glossary

Award-winning sommelier Chris Morrison believes that your wine decisions should be driven by your own sense of taste - and by the way you like to eat, drink and live. In This Is Not A Wine Guide he helps readers develop the confidence to choose, purchase, serve, share and ultimately even collect wine without feeling the need to rely on the 'old rules' involving notes, scores, jargon and reviews. Morrison answers the question all of us ponder when faced with choosing wine from a wine list or from the bottleshop shelf: 'Where do I start?' This Is Not A Wine Guide tackles the fundamentals and then moves from the bottle forwards: into the reasons you choose it, open it and drink it; with what company, under what circumstances, in what glasses - and with what food. Because this is a wine book for people who also love food. For Morrison, food and its taste and textures represent the narrative that can unlock wine - 'wine doesn't make sense without food'. This Is Not A Wine Guide is packed with information and advice to help you get the most out of your wine experience, whether it's cracking a bottle for a barbecue, navigating a wine list in a restaurant, wondering what to serve with kimchi, or what to do when the cork crumbles.

Why drink Bordeaux when you can make your own Buddha's Hand Cherry Bomb wine? Feeling spunky? Try some Ginger Squash Sake! Or maybe you're in the mood for some Strawberry Lemon-Guava, Triple Basil, Pomegranate Citrus-Symphony, or Cherry Black Currant wine. These are just a taste of the 148 unique recipes in this creative guide to small-batch winemaking that goes far beyond specialty grapes for an easier, more forgiving process. Readers learn how to make wines with fruits like lemons, blueberries, cherries, peaches, and pears, as well as flowers like dandelions and roses, and even herbs like rosemary, basil, and even cannabis. And these recipes are just the start; readers will gain the skills they need to branch out, incorporate their favourite ingredients, and create their own unique wine flavours.

This illustrated introduction to Chinese wine explores the history of wine production in China, the legends and customs that surround it and its place in China today. Traditionally, Chinese wine and spirits were made from grain, and had three important uses: to perform rituals, to dispel one's worries and to heal. Today, wine is still believed to have a therapeutic benefit, but the Chinese beverage industry has expanded on a large scale and now includes famous brands of beer and, increasingly, vineyards producing red and white wine for global consumption. Chinese Wine is indispensable reading for both wine-lovers and all those with an interest in the transition from traditional to modern Chinese culture.

This is a comprehensive guide to the must-know wines and producers of California's 'new generation, ' and the story of the iconoclastic young winemakers who have changed the face of California viniculture in recent years

Home winemaking is an appealing hobby for a new generation of wine lovers lured by the promise of a great payoff - small batches of handmade wine. It's the perfect opportunity to experiment with flavours, have fun playing with chemistry, and share a few tasty bottles with friends and family. But safely fermenting, bottling, and aging wine is a demanding process requiring special equipment, impeccable sanitation, an understanding of chemical reactions, and the patience to see the aging process through to the end. No matter how experienced the home winemaker, unforeseen questions develop with every batch of new wine. When a winemaker has problems with leaky corks or finds an oily film on top of his fermenting wine, what's the simplest, quickest way to get an answer? "The Wine Maker's Answer Book" is a 24 hour helpline with advice on hundreds of wine-making dilemmas. From the basic curiosity of the novice (What equipment will I need to get started?) to the finer points of fermentation (What is the impact of malolactic fermentation on acidity?), every step of the process is covered in detail. Author Alison Crowe uses a friendly question-and-answer format to explain the mysteries of turning grape juice into wine, whether the reader is beginning with fresh grapes or a home wine-making kit. To the straightforward requests for information, she offers detailed descriptions of procedures and equipment. For stickier real-life problems, she first carefully assesses the possible causes and then gives expert advice on fixing the trouble.

"This book takes in his introduction to wine - at the age of three! - through his continued travels and championing of New World wines when they were less fashionable." - Matthew Nugent, The Irish Sun "You can feel Oz Clarke's expansive, chatty presence in every sentence" - Telegraph "Frankly, it's the best and most entertaining wine read I've had in years." -Tom Doorley, The Irish Mail "You can never have too much of his captivating enthusiasm and rich knowledge and this is him at his best." - Waitrose magazine There have never been so many delicious and original wines in the world, and to discover them, all you need is a glass in your hand and Oz Clarke - the ideal wine companion. With his inimitable sense of adventure and fun, Oz explains how his fascination with flavour led him to abandon a promising acting career and follow his heart from Chablis to 'the lost Himalayan valleys of Yunnan' in pursuit new taste experiences and wine thrills. He found them! Oz Clarke On Wine takes us on a fast-paced, witty romp around the grape varieties key to the world's major wine styles, then explores the vineyards and regions where a vast trove of wine treasure lies waiting for discovery. Oz's passion for sharing, his deep wine knowledge, and his ability to conjure up the wine world's most beautiful landscapes, make this book the most unputdownable wine read this century. Includes: How Oz fell in love with wine: from his first dramatic encounter on a river-bank (aged three), to his post-performance tasting tales (after 'governing Argentina' as General Peron in the hit show Evita Oz explains how global warming affects what we drink today, and the new styles we can expect 'tomorrow' Organic and Biodynamic wines, Oz's favourite fizz The world's best-tasting wines, from Aconcagua to Okanagan, from Patagonia to east Yorkshire..., and wines to enjoy, from budget to blue chip... For sipping and savouring now. Or to age and enjoy in 10, 20, 30-years' time...