Books, Periodicals and Online Sources
of Wine Information

The world of wine is evolving
at an ever accelerating pace - fueled by new technology, new appellations, new producers and new markets and changing economics, of interest to the professional and serious wine lover, but the average wine consumer seeks basic information. Here are suggestions on where
and how to find it.

Tasting, rather than reading, is the way to learn to appreciate and enjoy wine. Only if you wish to expand your knowledge and curiosity do you need go further than finding and understanding what it is that you like. But keep in mind curiosity will cause your tastes to change - that’s when you’ll want to read.

If you seek resources to expand and build on what you learn from tasting, there is a wealth of available literature from reference encyclopedia, through books on specific regions and topics, to periodicals. Periodicals may contain articles of topical and general interest, but they focus largely on reviews of current wines.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and the Wine Spectator are the most popular periodicals. Their’s are the “RP” and “WS” numeric ratings in retailers' ads. They do offer reviews and descriptions which I suspect few people bother to read, simply taking the easy way out - look for and go after wines that have ratings of 90 and higher - if you can afford them. The paradox is that, if those that you can afford continue to receive stellar numbers you will eventually not be able to afford them. And, while they fill a need for consumers, they have become a crutch for many retailers.

Personally, I shun reviewer’s ratings, while I might on occasion read their reviews, especially if I have tasted the same wine. I prefer to do my own evaluation of wines that I might or can buy. If you feel compelled to be guided by the numbers, you need a modicum of skepticism. You might want to play a little game - rate wines on the basis of your impression of the reviews, then compare your ratings with the numeric ratings given by the reviewer. I often find little correlation between the review and the rating.

Other periodicals are the Connoisseur’s Guide to Californian Wines, to which I have been subscribing for about 30 years, and the British publication Decanter which has many interesting articles and more or less credible reviews - of wine, but not restaurants.

For me, the encyclopedic Oxford Companion to Wine is indispensable and probably the first book any serious wine lover should acquire. We sell the latest Second Edition for $65. Browse our copy next time you are in the store.

Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson’s The World Atlas of Wine, offers information on grapes, viticulture, wine-making and suggestions for enjoying wine There is a wealth of general information in the first fifty pages. However I urge you to ignore the ridiculous table entitled Wine and Temperature on page 45.

But what this book is really about is wine geography. There are detailed maps of wine producing regions of just about every wine producing county, together with information on varietals, soils, climate, prominent producers and, last but not least superb photographs. The temptation to simply browse is irresistible. We sell the current Fifth Edition for $50

An altogether different little book is the Wine Avenger, by Willie Gluckstern. Whether you are serious about wine or would like a quick, often hysterical and satirical wine education, this is a must read. I consider Willie Gluckstern a kindred spirit. - “an outspoken critic of wine snobbery, label worship, and over-oaked Chardonnay” - a fellow “ranter and raver”.While I wish I had written the book, I no longer feel alone when I speak out about lousy restaurant wine lists, about lousy wine; about lousy wine peddling pretending to be journalism or wine criticism. Willie speaks out about restaurant critics who either know nothing about or care nothing about wine - for whom a $80 bottle of wine is “reasonably” priced - more than twice the price of the most expensive main course that most ordinary folks spring for.

With wonderful, irreverent humor, he gives the straight poop on oak, “the MSG of wine”, a few well chosen words for greedy restaurants and retailers (“Those bastards!”), and an unprecedented expose of mass-market Champagne, including how to find the good stuff by cracking the secret label code.

He cuts through the intimidating hype and nonsense. You will come away with confidence in your own judgment and a relaxed approach to the enjoyment of wine. Browse our store copy and then grab your own Wine Avenger from us for $12.

You are invited to browse our quite extensive in-store library - I cannot resist books on every aspect of viticulture, viniculture and wine appreciation.

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