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Wine Books: Pouring Through Pages
by Emma Criswell
published: 23 Sep 2009 | Comments
I fell in love with wine before I was old enough to drink it, so I did the next best thing: I tirelessly read all about it. But too often wine books are discounted and placed second best to getting "hands on experience" with wine itself. I disagree with that assessment. I find myself constantly sharing wine info that I never would have learned had I not read it in a book. I'm even able to use some of my favorite books as scholarly sources for my thesis now.
That being said, there are some books that you don't need to waste your time on, especially if you are just starting out. Some pocket-sized books that claim to guide you through "wine 101" were sometimes even over my head. I had to do a lot of searching to find something that worked well for me, so in hopes of saving you the trouble, here are my top four informational wine books in the order that I read them:
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Wine for Dummies The most helpful book for me when I still thought dry white wine referred to some sort of a wine powder was Wine for Dummies. I was reluctant to read it in public because I felt that I was not a dummy by any means, but don't let that deter you. This is a great book; it breaks down all aspects of wine - from the type to food pairing to wine regions - very easily and clearly. |
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How to Taste Like a Wine Geek - Joe Roberts Another one of my favorites is How to Taste Like a Wine Geek by my friend Joe Roberts, AKA 1WineDude. The book breaks down how Joe stumbled into the world of wine and how he learned about it. He is nice enough to share with us what he learned, along with some great wine quotes. Joe even includes wine worksheets and suggestions to take with you to tastings and the wine shop. |
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Windows on the World: Complete Wine Course - Kevin Zraly I recently picked up Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World: Complete Wine Course. Although I already had three years of wine knowledge, it's a book that would be equally helpful to a complete beginner. It is just what it says, a complete wine course, and it's what Zraly uses as his textbook in the actual windows on the world wine courses. The book breaks down wines by region and by white and red, and it includes sections on wine and food pairing, buying, and deciphering restaurant wine lists. |
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Decantations - Frank J. Prial Decantations is currently my favorite wine book. Frank Prial has been a wine critic for the New York Times for over 30 years. He knows his stuff, and he delivers it in a way that is easy to understand. Prial makes a point of demystify "wine speak" in this collection of some of his best columns paired with his observations on wine makers, wine personalities and the industry itself. |
My advice: check these books out. Then settle down with your selection, and a glass of wine to go with it.
