Book Description
Hailed by the Wine Advocate as "perhaps the most gifted of all wine writers writing today," Jancis Robinson has been voted the Wine Writer's Wine Writer by her peers, dubbed "the undisputed mistress of the kingdom of wines" by France's Madame Figaro, and won the 1995 Wine Literary Award of the
Wine Appreciation Guild. Holding the prestigious rank of Master of Wine, Robinson lectures and judges all over the world, and recently hosted a ten-part PBS series Jancis Robinson's Wine Course. She also edited The Oxford Companion to Wine, which won every major wine book award in 1995--including
the Julia Child Cookbook Award (Wine, Beer, or Spirits) and The James Beard Book Award--and which has been praised by Frank Prial in The New York Times as "easily the most complete compendium of wine knowledge assembled in modern times," and by Anthony Dias Blue as "one of the definitive reference
books on the subject."
Now, in Jancis Robinson's Guide to Wine Grapes, Robinson provides wine aficionados with a handy, on-the-spot guide to the most central aspect of wine making--the grapes themselves. Here are over 850 grapes, ranging from such widely acclaimed vines as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Muscat, Pinot
Noir, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc, to economically important if less distinguished vines such as Airen, Grenache, Muller-Thurgau, Trebbiano, Syrah, and Rkatsiteli. Robinson offers a fact-filled introduction--discussing everything from rootstocks and wine blends, to vine pests and disease--and
glossary of technical terms (from botrytis and carbonic maceration, to fanleaf and foxy, to skin, sugars, tannins, and yield). She then examines the world's grape varieties in alphabetical order, describing the basic characteristics of the wine produced by the grape (dry, sweet, high or low acidity,
the bouquet), its likely quality, the regions that produce the best wine, and, if a blended wine, the blends that yield the best results. (As an added guide to the wine a grape might produce, the Guide includes an easy-to-use visual aid: a horizontal bar with a band which shows the range of quality,
from ordinary to superb.) Robinson also shares much fascinating wine history, her deep insight into the wine industry, and more important, her own judgment on a wine. And Robinson does not hedge in judging a wine: discussing Carignan, France's most planted red wine, she comments "Its wine is high in
everything--acidity, tannins, color, bitterness--but flavor and charm. This gives it the double inconvenience of being unsuitable for early consumption yet unworthy of maturation." And for Trebbiano, the most planted white grape in Italy (and with Ugni Blanc, which is the name of the grape in
France, the second most planted white grape in the world), Robinson notes "the word Trebbiano in a wine name almost invariably signals something light, white, crisp, and uninspiring."
Perhaps most important, this portable book can be used in the store as a buying guide. With Robinson's Guide, simply find the grape variety on the label--or, if not listed, turn to Robinson's unique Grapes Behind the Names appendix in the back--look up the entry on that grape, and you will
discover everything you need to know to make an informed decision to buy or pass. With Jancis Robinson by your side, you can evaluate a bottle of wine on the spot, no matter where, when, or by whom it has been produced.
Customer Reviews:
If you don't know wine grapes, you will!.......2004-02-10
Everything you ever wanted to know, and everything you needed to know about grapes!
Brilliant, of course!.......1999-09-22
What can you say about the most comprehensive encyclopaedia of wine grapes written by the world's foremost expert on the subject, when that person also happens to be a clear and charming writer as well? If you want to know about grapes, find out from the woman who has offered her entire cellar to the person who can outstrip her knowledge on the subject. Wonderful!
Great view of the grapes.......1997-02-12
Successor to Robinson's large-format "Vines, Grapes and Wines," this delightful little book sorts out the world of wine not geographically, as encyclopedias usually do, but on the basis of grapes. Chock full of information about grapes from the commonplace (Chardonnay) to the bizarre (Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso), this pocket-size book is a must for the wine-trivia lover or the serious wine fancier
Book Description
First published in hardcover as Oz Clarke’s Encyclopedia of Grapes, Oz Clarke’s Grapes and Wines is newly revised and updated to provide the most current information on an even wider array of grapes. Oz covers chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and fifteen other "classic" grapes in depth, and includes features on tradition and innovation, methods used in the vineyard and the winery, and different wine styles around the world. He also provides vivid descriptions of more than three hundred grape varieties organized in his renowned A-to-Z format, as well as a glossary of technical terms and a wine decoder that lists which grapes go into which wines.
This authoritative volume by one of the world’s great wine writers is all you need to distinguish among grape varieties— the wines they create and the flavors they contribute—and to make an informed choice on selecting the most satisfying wines.
Customer Reviews:
Grapes Galore.......2007-09-24
Completely updated, you can test this, learning the recent discoveries about the origins of Zinfandel and Primitivo grapes.(pag 293).
You can learn a little more about native portuguese grapes.
You would enjoy having a kind of glossary to "translate":
which grapes make which wines !,
so you can travel Europe strange names in the wine label, either from terroirs, clos, crus, vineyards, vignerons or wine-makers and evem fantasy names. Perfect for you, who love choosing wine by their grapes.
Schiffini, J. P. (Founder member of The Century Club)
More problems than advantages.......2006-04-17
Oz Clarke's Grapes & Wine takes a different tact than other large definitive coffee table-style wine books like Hugh Johnson and Janice Robinson's World Atlas of Wine, Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, and Peter Forrestal's The Global Encyclopedia of Wine. Those books (and, indeed, Mr. Clarke's own New Encyclopedia of Wine) are organized based on countries and regions, while this book is organized by major grape varieties, which are arranged in alphabetical order.
As such (and despite what the title says), that makes this more of a guide to grapes than to wine. And that offers some advantages for a lover of, say, Chardonnay, who with this book can read and learn about they way the grape is used in California, France, and New Zealand, without having book markers protruding from three different chapters. The style of organization also allows for the history of a certain grape to be traced even when it crosses national borders, as is the case for every significant variety grown in the U.S. and many classic varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Nior, and Shiraz that have made names for themselves far from where they were originally cultivated.
But I believe the grape-oriented organization ultimately presents more problems than advantages.
From a purely logistical standpoint, it can be confusing because many grapes are known by different names in different places: what the Americans, Australians, and South Africans call Shiraz, the French call Syrah; what the French call Pinot Nior the Italians call Pinto Nero; and what people in one part of Tuscany call Sangiovese is referred to as Brunello, Prugnolo, and Morelino in other parts of the same region. Mr. Clarke solves this by listing the grape by its best-known name and making references to the others in the text (Shiraz and Syrah are listed in hyphenated form), but it might still be confusing to someone who became familiar with a grape by one of its lesser-known appellations.
Also, for a novice, it's not clear what grapes are tied to what kinds of wine in regions that don't reflect the variety on the label. So while the book does explain that red Burgundies are made from Pinot Nior and white Burgundies from Chardonnay, that Barolo and Barbaresco are both crafted from Nebbiolo, and that Chianti comes mostly from Sangiovese, the reader must first know these things before delving into the appropriate chapter.
But the most serious problem, I think, is that organizing chapters by variety presents a false choice: a light and crisp Chardonnay grown in New Zealand, for example, has more in common with the Sauvignon Blanc grown down the street than it does with a powerful and buttery Chardonnay from California. And what about regions known for blending varieties? In Bordeaux most wines are mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (Lafite Rothschild, Haut-Brion), but some very significant wines (Le Pin, Petrus) are made predominantly from Merlot.
That said, the book is packed with compelling writing and important and interesting information, and the photography is very strong (even if photos are for the most part a little small for my taste). This book, the last of three editions, was published only three years ago. Afterwards, editors divided the contents into two books: the aforementioned New Encyclopedia of Wine and Mr. Clarke's famous Encyclopedia of Grapes -- both of which I ought to be more familiar with. But after familiarizing myself with the high-level of Mr. Clarke's knowledge and his strong writing and at the same time being somewhat stymied by the way the book is organized, I can't imagine that the decision to divide these riches into two books wasn't a wise one.
Product Description
This beautifully illustrated book is a must-have for growers, vintners, and enthusiasts. Inside you ll find information on ripening periods for 53 varieties grown in California, ripening dates of varieties by period and growing district, detailed illustrations of grapevine structure, a glossary, and a bibliography. The star of the show is the discussion of the 36 major wine grape varieties grown in the state, covering synonyms, source, physical characteristics such as clusters, berries, and leaves, harvest periods and methods, and winery use. Each variety is highlighted by close-up photography of its clusters, leaves and leaf shoots 107 lush color photos in all.
Book Description
Praise for James Waller's Drinkology:
The most extensive and straightforward of the bar books...
-Minneapolis Star Tribune
The one to reach for...
-USA Today
In a restaurant, do you always let somebody else order the wine? When you hear someone say, "Sherry," do you think, "Who's she?" Does trying to recall the difference between a Pinot Noir and a Pinot Gris defeat you? Does selecting a wine from a wine shop's shelves unnerve you? Suffer no more. With Drinkology WINE, James Waller, author of the successful cocktail handbook Drinkology, offers a guide to understanding wine that's written with you-the novice oenophile-in mind.
Witty and accessible, Drinkology WINE begins with a basic wine vocabulary. To explain how wine is made, Waller then takes you on a visit to a working winery. He demystifies wine tasting, showing you how to do it just like a pro. Chapters on red and white wine grapes and on sparkling wines equip you with fundamental knowledge. And Waller's tour of the wine world is conducted from your local wine shop: the place you're most likely to encounter wine in all its breathtaking-sometimes intimidating-variety. Stylish in its presentation yet assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, Drinkology WINE is an invaluable resource for the wine neophyte and an entertaining refresher course for the more experienced oenophile.
Customer Reviews:
Verve and Wit.......2006-07-01
Once again, James Waller enlists the aid of his partners, Verve and Wit, to present his views on the enjoyment of alcohol consumption. Every few pages I felt inspired to go out and buy a bottle of wine, but I couldn't put down the book.
Being a happy drinker myself, I'm delighted when one of my favorite comestibles is described by a connoisseur with a sense of humor. Oenologists can seem drier than their wines. To the dry, I prefer the droll.
Enjoy the reading. It's (almost) as much fun as the drinking.
Don't know the first thing about wine? This is a good place to start........2005-11-22
Once again, you find yourself in a restaurant, looking down at the wine list-or standing in the middle of your local wine shop, staring at the endless bottles of wine. But you don't know the first thing about wine. That's where Drinkology WINE comes in. In the introduction, Waller starts with a few promises. He promises not to assume that the reader knows anything about wine. And he promises to focus on wines in a moderate price range, for the average drinker (as opposed to the wine collector). And, for the most part, he sticks to his promises.
The book starts with the basics. You'll learn about the vocabulary as well as the winemaking process. Then you get into the details-and this is where you'll want to get out your highlighters and a pen and paper. Waller goes on to describe the main varieties of both red and white wines-with advice about which ones to try and which ones to avoid. And he ends with a trip through your local wine shop, traveling from one winemaking country to another.
Waller puts readers right at ease. There's nothing snobbish about him. His style is light and relaxing, with even a little bit of humor thrown in from time to time. That's not to say, of course, that the book isn't still overwhelming at times. With all the different varieties and vintages and wine-makers to cover, how can it not be? But Drinkology WINE does an excellent job of making such a vast topic feel a little more manageable.
After reading this book, you won't be an expert, but you'll definitely feel more knowledgeable. More importantly, you'll feel more confident about stepping into the wine shop-or choosing from the wine list. And that's a big step in the right direction.
Customer Reviews:
a definitive reference on Riesling wines.......2000-03-31
This book deserves to be in the library of any wine lover. It gives all the major producers of this much-maligned but noble varietal from Australia, Austria, Canada, France (notably the Alsace region), Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Russia (!), and the USA. This author's writing style is erudite and intelligent without being the least bit snobbish or elitist. I have tried several fine German bottles based on his specific recommendations, for the first time, and absolutely concur with his observations. This book can be used to find fine wines that offer value for money at every price and quality range. It offers a great deal of insight for the novice wine enthusiast and the seasoned expert. For the moderate price, it is well worth having, and would make a very thoughtful gift too. Most strongly recommended.
Book Description
You don't need to own a vineyard to benefit from knowing what it takes to turn grapes into fine wines. Tour the areas throughout the world where the 36 greatest grape varieties are produced, and bring your own expertise to the wine experience, so you can analyze and identify such classics as Cabernet-Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chasselas, Chenin, Cinsaut, Clairette, Colombard, Gamay, Gewurtztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sylvaner, Syrah, and Vermentino. As you learn the history of each variety, you come to see what makes each one a favorite of connoisseurs today. The whole story of how a lowly grape becomes a great wine starts with basic facts regarding growth cycles and diseases of healthy and unhealthy vines, leaves, and clusters. It continues through profiles of major vineyards, likely yields, alcoholic strengths, vintage years, color and taste--everything you need to be familiar with the process for producing a truly premium product.
Average customer rating:
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Wine Grape Varieties
George Kerridge ,
GH Kerridge , and
AJ Antcliff
Manufacturer: CSIRO PUBLISHING
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Spirits
| Drinks & Beverages
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Agricultural Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0643059822 |
Product Description
This book describes 92 of the most popular wine grape varieties currently used by wine makers around the world plus some that may have a place in the future.
It builds on the earlier edition of Wine Grape Varieties of Australia, by including new varieties of grape and updating critical information.
The book enables readers to easily identify a particular variety using lavish colour photographs of the leaves, shoots, canes and fruit. Each grape variety is further described with a brief history, its current world plantings and the wines, including blends, that are manufactured from it.
Features
High quality colour photographs
Brief, easily read descriptions
Lists grape names and synonyms used in Australia and overseas
Glossary of technical terms
Identifies cultivars that have been DNA-profiled
Average customer rating:
- An entertaining and informative guide to wines for beginners!
- Great for anyone new to the wine world!
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Through the Grapevine: An Illustrated Guide to Wine Grapes
Candace Ann Frasher
Manufacturer: Marquette Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Spirits
| Drinks & Beverages
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Agricultural Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Agricultural Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0922993645 |
Book Description
This book is perfect for wine-tasting parties and for people who aren't afraid to admit they are not experts about wine. The book contains brief descriptions of various kinds of grapes and wines and provides space for the wine-taster to give her/his own impressions of the wine. Beautifully illustrated and written.
Customer Reviews:
An entertaining and informative guide to wines for beginners!.......2007-06-18
Too scared to venture past the medium priced, pretty labeled Chardonnay and the all too familiar Cab Sav? No idea what to drink with your Thanks Giving turkey other than a round of Bud? This book is for you. Beautifully illustrated with simple descriptions, personalities and perfect accompaniments for all those wines you couldn't pronounce, let alone offer to your family and friends.
With so many fantastic wines available today challenge your taste buds, live a little and enjoy good food, wine and company with this entertaining and informative book. The perfect gift for the novice wine connoisseur, accompanied with a bottle of pinot noir of course!
Thanks Candace - my wife's cooking has never tasted so good!
Great for anyone new to the wine world!.......2007-03-07
"Through the Grapevine" is perfect for anyone interested in exploring the world of wine. For a novice like myself, I found the illustrations allowed me to match a "personality" to different types of wine grapes and the food pairing suggestions were extremely helpful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been put off by the seemingly pretentious world of wine--this book makes it fun and exciting!
Book Description
Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes can make magnificent wines but there are also many other excellent wine varieties that for many of us are rarely experienced. Vines for Wines will expand the wine lover's knowledge and appreciation of a great range of wines and help to explore their individual preferences for specific varieties, blends, flavours and styles.
This book is based on the highly successful Wine Grape Varieties, which is an aid to identifying grape vines. Vines for Wines, however, focuses on wines from the average consumer's point-of-view, introducing the different wine grape varieties and the wines made from them, including blends. Each variety is represented by a colour photograph of the grape variety, its current world plantings, wine produced and notes describing the varietal characters for each wine grape variety.
The tasting terms and wine notes for each variety provide a benchmark for the consumer to assess the quality of wines they drink, and to allow them to share and compare their experiences confidently with other wine lovers.
Customer Reviews:
Nice, but shallow .......2006-07-10
The book is a slim quality paperback with good production values. There is a page, with a photograph and a modest amount of text, for each of the slightly more than 80 grape varieties discussed. The varieties are arranged alphabetically and there is a somewhat helpful table of synonyms. However, there is no index. Petite Sirah has no entry, but is mentioned under Durif as a possible mixture of Durif and Peloursin, which also has no entry. Pinot Blanc has no entry and is listed in the table of as having no synonyms. The entry for Melon says that California Pinot Blanc is actually Melon. The entry for Pinot Gris adds that Chenin Blanc also has been called Pinot Blanc, and it discusses the true Pinot Blanc. There are a few grape varieties with which I'm familiar that got no mention. On the other hand, about half were entirely new to me. I'm glad I own the book, but I'm not certain it's worth its price. I'd rather own Kerridge and Antcliff (1999), Wine Grape Varieties, which is out of print. I've not seen it, but it claims to be a comprehensive listing of the world's wine grape varieties, and I assume that it includes a fuller discussion.
Average customer rating:
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Pinot Noir (Guides to Grape Varieties)
Andrew Barr
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Buying Guides
| Wine
| Drinks & Beverages
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 067082514X |
Average customer rating:
- Burkina Faso - Environmental Management
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Rebuilding the Local Landscape: Environmental Management in Burkina Faso
Chris Howorth
Manufacturer: Ashgate Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Economic Policy & Development
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Conservation
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
Living on the Land
| Ecology
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
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| Architecture
| Hunting & Fishing
General
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
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Reference
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
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Planning & Management
| Environmental
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1840148462 |
Customer Reviews:
Burkina Faso - Environmental Management.......2000-06-30
This book is an excellent example of applied environmental management theory. The author bases his theoretical conclusions on an in-depth study of three comparative villages in southern Burkina Faso. It is a prime example to students of geography and environmental management how to carry out fieldwork for undergraduate or postgraduate studies. The book presents the case that indigenous knowledge systems and a constantly evolving communal management system regulates and improves environmental management and therefore, food production. Three ethnic groups are presented: the Nuni (indigenous sedentary farmers), the Mossi (immigrant sedentary farmers) and the Fulani (immigrant cattle herders), and these are examined from an anthropological viewpoint. The author then goes on to explain, in spite of nightmare scenarios from international development organisations, these ethnic groups come together to form new customary law arrangements which optimise environmental management. This is shown through detailed case study material, anthropological and participatory appraisal and village time sequence mapping. The author concludes the study with a strong last chapter on the knowledge gaps between western professionals and African farmers and the problems this causes in development in general.
Books:
- Knowledge Representation: Logical, Philosophical, and Computational Foundations: Logical, Philosophical, and Computational Foundations
- Language, Proof and Logic
- Living and Working in Britain, Fifth Edition: A Survival Handbook (Living & Working in Britain)
- Lost Genius: The Story of a Forgotten Musical Maverick
- Management Policies In Local Government Finance (Municipal Management Series)
- Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism (Chicago Studies in the History of Judaism)
- Microcosmos
- Modern Clan Politics: The Power Of "Blood" In Kazakhstan and Beyond
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Standard and Microscale Experiments
- Origins of the Modern Mind: Three Stages in the Evolution of Culture and Cognition
Books Index
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