Best wine book for newbies?

[Tom_Lee]

Adventures on the Wine Route by Kermit Lynch.

Tom

[Mattstolz]

@Howard Cooper

No problems with something like that except that I have not read either Windows or the Wine Bible and cannot recommend a book I have not read. How much info is there in these books that one could not get in google searches - certainly no an option when I got into wine, but clearly an option now. I own Hugh Johnson’s Wine Atlas, several generations old, and over the 10-20 years I have owned it I have looked up things in it but have never really read it.

I think your last statement there is why I leaned my reccs towards books that are really enjoyable reads for a newbie. Especially for a parent, sitting down and reading something that tells a story like Wine and War or Cork Dork gives an insight into the wine world while still being something that doesn’t feel quite so much like a labor of love to read, and won’t get used as just a reference book either

[Henry_Kiichli]

There is so much info in RMP’s Wine Buyer’s Guides. I know he’s not the most popular fella here, but the basic info is great.

[Henry_Kiichli]

Also, Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine Books were my handy dandy got to for years.

[Howard_Cooper]

@Mattstolz

@Howard Cooper

No problems with something like that except that I have not read either Windows or the Wine Bible and cannot recommend a book I have not read. How much info is there in these books that one could not get in google searches - certainly no an option when I got into wine, but clearly an option now. I own Hugh Johnson’s Wine Atlas, several generations old, and over the 10-20 years I have owned it I have looked up things in it but have never really read it.

I think your last statement there is why I leaned my reccs towards books that are really enjoyable reads for a newbie. Especially for a parent, sitting down and reading something that tells a story like Wine and War or Cork Dork gives an insight into the wine world while still being something that doesn’t feel quite so much like a labor of love to read, and won’t get used as just a reference book either

You and I have recommended different books but seem to be thinking in similar ways.

[Erik_Miller]

I am late to this…

Big thumbs up and support for Karen McNeil and the Wine Bible. I took a ‘Mastering European Wine’ Course taught by Karen in 2000-ish and she is wonderful - this flows to her book.

Seriously cool lady too!

Erik

[Paul_McCourt]

I liked the Wine Bible, too.

She should read it on the helicopter ride to Screagle.

[Steve_Slatcher]

@brodie thomson

Take a look at “The art and science of wine” Hugh Johnson and James Halliday. It covers a lot fo ground on how wine is made and the the choices made along the way. For me a really solid effort that I really enjoyed reading earliy on.

Me too. It is a bit dated now, but even so I think I would still recommend it.

[robert_creth]

@maureen nelson

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Hard for me to be on the board these days because that damn fake amazon spam pop up hits my ipad all the time when i am on this board.

I am sure she is drinking as much as possible but she’s an employed mother of a four year old and a six month old. I did send her to asimov’s wine school. I will check out many of the suggested books so thanks.

Was thinking that Amazon spam bot was just screwing with me.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

@Howard Cooper

@J a y H a c k

. . .

Your anti-European bias is really showing. . .

I will tone down my response and omit your silly invective because I am trying to learn to stop beating up people just because they are silly enough to decide to pick a fight with me for no good reason. Let’s just say that I have 520 bottles of European wine in my cellar and another two cases waiting to be picked up, which hardly reflects an anti-European bias. Can you say the same for California? I should also point out that Italy and Spain, mentioned in my post that you complained about, are in Europe, in case you hadn’t noticed. I own a copy of the Hugh Johnson Atlas of Wines and it’s autographed by Jancis Robinson. It is a very valuable resource, BUT NOT for someone who is just “getting into” wine. It is outrageously biased in the relativity of its treatment. Finally, as to my contribution to this thread, you quote ONLY from my second post and complain about my lack of contribution. My first post on this thread suggested a specific book.

[Howard_Cooper]

The book you recommended is one you said you have not read cover to cover but merely thumbed through at Barnes and Noble. What a recommendation!!! I have over 100 bottles of domestic wine (top producers being Ridge, Chateau Montelena and Stony Hill), have been drinking them for over 40 years and have visited Napa and Sonoma multiple times.

[Mattstolz]

@Howard Cooper

I think your last statement there is why I leaned my reccs towards books that are really enjoyable reads for a newbie. Especially for a parent, sitting down and reading something that tells a story like Wine and War or Cork Dork gives an insight into the wine world while still being something that doesn’t feel quite so much like a labor of love to read, and won’t get used as just a reference book either

You and I have recommended different books but seem to be thinking in similar ways.[/quote]

the Wine Route is the next one on my list, I have a feeling I’ll corroborate your opinion when I’m done.

Right now I’m reading through the CSW study guide, which is an awesome resource if a fairly detailed overview is the goal. the e-book is just $20!

[David_K_o_l_i_n]

@J a y H a c k

@David K o l i n

Hugh Johnson (and Jancis’) World Atlas of Wine

About as overly Franco-centric as you can get without titling the book “Everything you wanted to know about French wine because the rest of the world makes crap.” I hate to disappoint the Francophiles, but the largest wine producer is Italy. Second place is either Spain or France, depending on the weather and climate issues year to year. The US produces between 65% and 75% as much wine as France. Just remember that it was not an American who referred to some French wine as “Vin de Merde.” If someone wants to “get into” wine, directing them to books with an extremely obvious and well-known bias is not helpful.

I disagree with you on this Jay. This was truer with the earlier editions, less so now. Stop by a bookstore and take a look. And far more useful to a novice than Books like Adventures on the Wine Route, which I love. This in not a time to sit by the fire and read, but it has excellent information on vineyard around the world, which I used as a reference when I started exploring wine. Does it have shortcomings? Of course. All of the books listed here do. But I found it quite valuable as a primer in my early days of exploration

[K_John_Joseph]

Maureen,

Jancis Robinson’s “How to Taste Wine” and Zraly’s “Windows on the World Wine Course” are the two I would strongly recommend. Robinson’s book has a basic, no-nonsense step by step on how to taste wine, and makes things not so intimidated for someone looking to learn the game. It has fun anecdotes about missed blinds, if I recall correctly, and makes the whole tasting rigmarole something breezy.

The Zraly guide is an encyclopedia. A wonderfully informative reference guide for anyone who is curious about wine but who might not want to show their ignorance by asking folks a whole bunch of questions. Want to learn more about Sauvignon Blanc? Great, just crack the book, run the index, find the growing regions, learn about what they taste like where, why, and who produces wines with regional typicality so you can go out and get yourself a decent education.

I very much enjoyed those two books, and still crack open Zraly’s book when I’m trying to bone up on a region or gain a little additional knowledge about producers or what makes X taste different from Y.

[Mark_Cochard]

@Howard Cooper

But, would you really suggest a beginner start by trying to learn all the different regions of Italy. And, if you do, what book on Italian wine would you suggest that a beginner start with.

Italian Wine for Dummies

[todd_waldmann]

Wine For Dummies is what started me on the road to financial ruin. It provides a fantastic overview for the neophyte. Many of the other suggestions are great, but the majority of them are written for someone who already has some basic level of understanding about wine.

[Dav1d_Sawyer]

The Wine Bible is hard to beat. It’s always my recommendation to people who ask this question.

[Kevin_Porter]

@Mark Cochard

@Howard Cooper

But, would you really suggest a beginner start by trying to learn all the different regions of Italy. And, if you do, what book on Italian wine would you suggest that a beginner start with.

Italian Wine for Dummies

Depending on your willingness to disassociate from the author Vino Italiano by Joe Bastianich is quite good.

I agree with ‘Adventures on the wine route’ for kindling interest and appreciation; ‘How to taste’ for it’s practical approach; and Zraly or Wine Folly for overall basics. ‘What to drink with what you eat’ by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg is fun and reinforces wine as an accompaniment to meals.

[Philip_N_Jones]

I like to browse through the Schoonmaker Encyclopedia of Wine, revised by Bespaloff. No pictures, but the info is always interesting. Probably out of date, definitely out of print. But I still like it, and would recommend it.
Phil Jones

[David_K_o_l_i_n]

Old but awesome