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.

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book is the essential reference book for everyone who buys wine - in shops, restaurants, or on the internet. Now in its 42nd year of publication, it has no rival as the comprehensive, up-to-the-minute annual guide. Hugh Johnson provides clear succinct facts and commentary on the wines, growers and wine regions of the whole world. He reveals which vintages to buy, which to drink and which to cellar, which growers to look for and why. Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book gives clear information on grape varieties, local specialities and how to match food with wines that will bring out the best in both. This new edition also contains a special supplement on Organic, Natural and Biodynamic wines.

This is a title with a difference: The author deals as much with wine farms, their histories and homesteads, as with the food and wine that were part and parcel of the good times and lovely place that she recalls. This title invites other wine and food lovers to share in some very individual recipes and the very special ambience of Cape winelands.

A New York Times Best Wine Book of 2021 A Washington Post Best Wine Book of 2021 Named one of the Best Wine Books of 2021 by Henry Jeffreys, timatkin.com South of Somewhere begins and ends in American writer Robert Camuto's maternal ancestral town of Vico Equense, Italy-a tiny paradise south of Naples on the Sorrento Peninsula. It was here in 1968, at ten years old, that the author first tasted Italian life, spending his own summer of love surrounded by relatives at the family's seaside pizzeria and restaurant. He fell in love with a way of living and with the rhythms, flavors, and aromas of the Southern Mediterranean. Fifty years later, Camuto returns to Vico, connecting with family members and a new generation. A lot has changed: the old family restaurant has been razed and the seaside has been developed with hotels and restaurants, including a famous two-Michelin-starred restaurant in a medieval tower now owned by a younger cousin. Though there are more foreign visitors, the essentials of beauty, food, family bonds, and simplicity have not changed. And here Camuto finds hope that this way of life can continue. Camuto's fine-grained storytelling in this series of portraits takes us beyond the usual objective views of viniculture nto the elusive and magical world of Italian "South-ness." While on one level able to create an instructive narrative about Southern Italy's twenty-first-century wine and cultural renaissance, Camuto's unswerving eye juxtaposes the good and the bad-immeasurable beauty and persistent blight, anti-mafia forces and corruption, hope for the future and fatalism-in a land that remains an infinite source of fascination and sensory pleasure. Watch book trailer #1. Watch book trailer #2. Watch book trailer #3.

Grab a glass and head to the South of France for fun and flirtation amongst the vines... Jenna Jenkins needs to get away. She's been unceremoniously sacked from her job and it's make or break time with her boyfriend Angus, so a summer job at the beautiful Chateau Montmorency in the south of France seems like the perfect solution. Planning the party of the century, dining out with suave Frenchmen, and giving in to a little temptation among the vines are all in a day's work... but is there a secret lurking in the chateau cellars? Caught in a trap she can't talk - or drink - herself out of, Jenna is well and truly corkscrewed. Things are really hotting up under the sun when a mysterious benefactor helps her out of her jam. But why does he seem so familiar...? A sparkling summer read, fizzing with flirtation! Perfect for fans of Jilly Cooper, Shari Low, Tracy Bloom, Jenny Oliver and Heidi Swain. Readers love Fliss Chester: 'I LOVED this book...a delicious modern day Jilly Cooper. Five stars' - Jules, Amazon reviewer 'A fabulously entertaining romantic romp, jam-packed with humour. Five stars' - Rupert, Amazon reviewer 'A fast-paced and fun romp...the perfect romantic read. Five stars' - Nicky, Amazon reviewer

Sparkling wines, or champagnes, are synonymous with celebration and happiness. These festive wines have a charm and attraction all their own. The authors have spent decades exploring the techniques of sparkling wine production and discovering the secrets of producing champagne-like wine of superb quality. For any winemaker to be able to produce his or her own sparkling wine is one-upmanship to the nth degree! Yet it is perfectly possible. In this revised and updated edition, the authors share their expertise with you, and whether you are a beginner or an experienced winemaker, you will find this book contains all the information necessary to make your own sparkling wines.

Originally published in French in 1927 as part of a set of promotional books for French wine distributor Nicolas, Monseigneur le Vin is a lovely illustrated jewel of a wine primer brought back into print. The book is perfectly relevant to today's wine lovers, charmingly presented: wine information like bouquet, colour, and taste profile is essentially the same today, and Montorgueil's reverence for wine is delivered with an elan and is oh-so-very French, with observations like A full-bodied red wine wants to be laid on its side and made cozy. Delightful and informative, Monseigneur le Vin is sure to appeal to new and experienced wine lovers alike.

Lonely Planet's new Wine Trails - Europe book is your guide to the perfect European wine getaway. Featuring Europe's most exciting and up-and-coming wine destinations, discover cult favourites and secret gems. Journey through 40 trails, from Vienna's urban vineyards to Portugal's Alentejo region, with the help of our regional wine experts who introduce you to each old world destination. In every region, expert writers - including Masters of Wine Caroline Gilby and Anne Krebiehl and critics and columnists Sarah Ahmed, Tara Q. Thomas and John Brunton - review the most rewarding wineries to visit and the most memorable and quaffable wines to taste. Whether it be a chilled glass of rose in picturesque Provence or a savoury, dry Fino sherry in Andalucia, all bases are covered in this comprehensive guide to Europe's best wine-making regions. You'll venture into historic, world-famous wineries, through celebrated cellar doors and will discover some unsung heroes along the way. Bottoms up! About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, eBooks, and more.

This is the book for the winemaker who likes the ease and convenience of making wine from concentrates for those who enjoy wine but lacks the facilities to make it from grapes and other fruits. The recipes in this edition are formulated from concentrates which are readily available to make 1-2 gallon batches of wine. The book is the culmination of many years of work with concentrates from all over the world. Peter Duncan's vast experience and knowledge of the way wine can be made with concentrates is all here in these pages - this is the book that every winemaker who uses them will want to keep for ready reference.

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.

Whilst Wine Marketing: a practical guide also looks at theory and existing research, the main focus of this book is on the practicalities of wine marketing. Each chapter includes the following invaluable features: * 'How to' and 'how not to' case studies based on international examples * A guide to further reading and websites * 'Issues to consider when marketing' section as a means of self-evaluation 'Wine Marketing' systematically outlines the major issues involved in the production and marketing of wine. Its accessible and clear-sighted approach makes it an invaluable guide for everyone in the field.

Riesling, MA1/4ller-Thurgau, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Dornfelder - Wie unterscheiden sich die Weine eigentlich? Und was macht ihren geschmacklichen Charakter aus? Ed McCarthy und Mary Ewing-Mulligan nehmen die Leser in "Wein fA1/4r Dummies" mit auf die Reise durch die Welt des Weines. Sie erlAutern, welche Rebsorten es gibt, wie sie sich voneinander unterscheiden und wie Wein hergestellt wird. Sie stellen die verschiedenen Weinanbauregionen der Welt vor und erklAren, worauf man bei einer Weinprobe achten muss. AuA erdem beantworten die Autoren viele Fragen rund um den Wein: Wie wird Wein gelagert und serviert? Darf man einen Bordeaux zum Fisch oder einen Riesling zum Schweinebraten trinken? Worauf muss man beim Weinkauf achten und wie beschreibt man das Bukett eines Weines?

Wine enthusiasts: raise a glass! The global wine market has expanded rapidly in the past few years and is forecasted to increase through 2019. Consumption, new wine styles, online wine purchasing, and a growing younger population of wine enthusiasts are all contributing factors. In Wine For Dummies, the authors--both recognized wine authorities and accredited Certified Wine Educators--share their expertise, revealing the latest on what's in, what's out, and what's new in wine. Featuring information on both classic and cutting-edge wines, it's packed with everything you need to hold your own in tasting rooms, shops, and beyond! Includes updated information on navigating wine shops and selecting wines in restaurants Covers the latest expert advice on buying wine online thanks to the online retail boom Provides updated vintage charts and price guidelines Offers information on trends in wine, including packaging innovations such as wine in a can, kegs, and boxes Whether you're a beginner or intermediate wine enthusiast, this is your no-nonsense guide to choosing wine, understanding wine lists, exploring new varieties, serving, sharing, and more!

"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...

It's easy (or easier) to become a wine expert when you narrow the field down to ten grapes. For the wine drinker who loves Pinot Noir but doesn't know what to try next, wants a French Chardonnay but isn't sure what to look for on the bottle, or needs a little support before they open the wine menu at lunch with a client, Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis's authoritative but inviting introduction to wine is an indispensable guide. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel make the cut. The book covers the basics of tasting (and why wines taste the way they do), buying and pairing wine. Fallis gives readers tricks to remember the difference between the cotes of Burgundy, offers dozens of specific recommendations in every price range, provides tips for talking to sommeliers and shares memorable tasting exercises. This book will help readers build their wine confidence whether they're looking for an inexpensive bottle for dinner at home or trying to impress the in- laws.

Veuve Clicquot champagne epitomizes glamour and style, with tribute paid everywhere from Lord Byron to Casablanca. But who was this young widow - the 'Veuve' - Clicquot, whose champagne sparkled at the courts of France, Britain, and Russia, and how did she rise to celebrity and fortune? Newly widowed, she assumed the reins of the fledgling wine business she and her husband started, steering it through huge political and financial reversals to succeed as a single woman in a man's world. Visitors flocked to see this cultural icon and taste the vintages she imbued with magic. As much a fascinating journey through the process of making this temperamental wine as a biography of a uniquely tempered woman, "The Widow Clicquot" is a read to savour.

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.

Important and significant volume looking at the remarkable history of Rioja wine for the first time enriching knowledge and addressing debates on inventions of tradition, impacts of crisis for innovation and progress. Based on unpublished sources, the book traces the economic, social, cultural and political evolution of Rioja's wine over the following decades offering new insight into the social history of wine production, distribution and consumption. Written by leading academic. Wide appeal to those interested in wine studies, sociology, social history, tourism, events, hospitality and food studies.

If you love wine, this book will give you all the knowledge and self-confidence you need to become a world-class wine taster. It reveals in methodical steps exactly how to acquire essential wine-tasting skills. Cees (it's pronounced 'Case') van Casteren is a brilliant scientist, author, and international wine competition judge, as well as one of the global super-elite (less than 500 top experts worldwide) who have been able to earn the supreme title, Master of Wine. Anyone Can Taste Wine first appeared in Dutch and instantly established itself in the Netherlands as far and away the most authoritative and popular book on the subject. From the book's introductory chapter: "Many people typically believe that the ability to taste comes from some kind of inborn, innate aptitude-as though 'taste' were a genetic hand-me-down-something that you either have, or you don't have. But that's not true. "Wine tasting is a skill. Anyone can taste wine, as long as they have normally functioning senses of smell and taste. Anyone (that is) who is motivated to learn and practice-a lot-can become a good wine taster. Genes or no genes. "Much of this skill will involve awareness of how to train your senses. While there are genetic differences between humans in terms of smelling and tasting, these innate differences do not make one taster better than another. Research by taste professor Linda Bartoshuk, previously at the University of Yale, has shown that a wine taster's ability to taste is mainly due to the amount of training that the taster has experienced. Specifically, exercises dedicated to recognizing wine scents and developing an attendant wine language are the main contributing factors in developing wine tasting abilities. The difficulty that most besets inexperienced tasters is a lack of suitable vocabulary that would enable them to name and describe the flavors and scents that they taste and smell. This vital skill, being able to describe flavors and aromas in words, remains a common problem, even for the most experienced of wine tasters. According to Professor Tim Jacob of Cardiff University, a method that will enable you to associate smells and flavors with a suitable repertoire of words will contribute greatly to the enhancement of tasting skills . . . that is . . . you just need a method. The more user-friendly, the easier it will be to learn and remember. And that's exactly what I realized at the start of my Master of Wine studies. The method had to be user-friendly in order to help me to remember all relevant aspects for tasting, describing, and analyzing the wine. In search of these aspects, I started with . . . the wine itself. With this fascinating blend of water (colorless, odorless, tasteless), alcohol (colorless, odorless, slightly sweet), acids, sugars, pigments, aromas, and tannins which together give wine its color, smell, and taste. "And I was quite quick to learn that this very curious and complex combination of color, aromas, alcohol, acids, sugars and tannins actually were the 'relevant aspects' I was looking for, and therefore the targets of my attention while developing a method. The answer to my quest was indeed in the wine itself!"

Does this Bonnes-Mares really have notes of chocolate, truffle, violets, and merde de cheval? Can wines really be feminine, profound, pretentious, or cheeky? Can they express emotion or terroir? Do the judgements of 'experts' have any objective validity? Is a great wine a work of art? Questions like these will have been entertained by anyone who has ever puzzled over the tasting notes of a wine writer, or been baffled by the response of a sommelier to an innocent question. Only recently, however, have they received the serious philosophical attention they deserve. Touching on issues in metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of mind, and aesthetics, this book provides a clear and engaging discussion of the philosophical significance of wine that will be accessible to all wine lovers, specialists and non-specialists alike. The author offers throughout a sustained defence of the objectivity of wine judgements, a demystification of the nature of expertise, and a theory of the aesthetic value of wine and its appreciation.

A companion volume to The Philosophy of . . . Beards and Coffee, this witty history of wine - its cultivation and enjoyment - sheds light on the rich traditions of wine from around the world. An apt gift for oenophiles everywhere, it includes chapters on the development of wine production, from the use of casks to bottles to the switch from feet to presses, as well as tracing the global shift of wine production from traditional wine-producing regions to emerging wine exporters. With a selective focus on unexpected facts and lesser-known characters connected with wine, from the Greek gods of wine to the monks who created Champagne and the ingenious ways French winemakers protected priceless vintages during wartime, this gift edition explores the historical influences that have shaped our drinking taste.