Hardcover
224 pages
$50.00

The New Spain
By John Radford

Spain is coming on strong in the wine world and for existing Spanish wine lovers and those new to the ’cult’, this new, updated and expanded edition of The New Spain is both timely and welcome. There’s a palpable excitement afoot today that anyone can share by merely pulling a cork.

Every aspect of Spanish wine culture has exploded and author John Radford bears witness to the excitement. In The New Spain, he covers the range of the wines and wine regions from the industry’s early roots to present day. You’ll find all the usual wine weenie stuff that many of us adore like soil types and vineyard classification to the revised wine laws introduced n 2003. Not your cup of tea? Then prepare to be beguiled by magical photos of the land, the people, the vines, and the wines.

The best known grape varieties—there are in excess of 600—are garnacha, carigÒena (grenache and carignan in France), tempranillo, albarino, monastrell, and verdejo are covered as are the widely known and grown cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah too thanks to a 1980s and 1990s love affair with "international" varietals.

Maps galore and key producers and their wines are here too. Of course, Spanish wines are meant to be drunk with food, which means you really should visit Spain if you haven’t yet, and immerse yourself in the country, it’s wines, their makers, and the food.

Hardcover
222 pages
$34.95

Questions of Taste: The Philosophy of Wine
Edited by Barry C. Smith

With wine sales increasing each year, and more people installing home wine cellars from racks closets to wine fridges and custom designs, there’s obviously an accompanying thirst for information. Many enthusiasts move beyond tasting into the philosophical realm.

Questions of Taste: The Philosophy of Wine goes to the heart of the matter with a thought provoking collection of essays by several philosophers, a winemaker and wine critic, a linguist, and a biochemist that tackle questions and issues head on.

Some of the connections made between philosophy and wine begin with how we consider wine, that wine provides pleasure and an opportunity for thought, moving to the objectivity of tastes and tasting, the power of taste relative to science and subjectivity, evaluating wine quality, and the art and craft of wine.

Even Alice gets into the act. "She uncorked it and pit it to her lips. " I know something interesting is sure to happen," she said to herself, "whenever I eat or drink anything, so I’ll just see what this bottle does." (Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland).

If you’re serious about the wine experience and how it abuts everyday life, the richly stimulating Questions of Taste will give you plenty to ponder and enjoy, glass in hand of course.

Hardcover
270 pages
$39.95

By Braiden Rex-Johnson

Seattle food and wine writer Braiden Rex-Johnson, author of Pike Place Market Cookbook, has culled the best of the Pacific Northwest region’s wineries and restaurants in her latest book, Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining.

Rex-Johnson has toured the region extensively over the years and finds inspiration and innovation in the amazing growth of the culinary culture that encompasses rich ethnic food traditions from Latino, to Asian European and beyond that pair perfectly with the wealth of Pacific Rim wine styles.

User friendly, Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining offers a brief introduction to wine varietals and embarks on a culinary tour that takes us from B.C. to Washington and Oregon with a side trip to surprising Idaho. Along the way she visits wineries and restaurants complete with portraits of winemakers and restaurateurs and delivers deliciously accessible recipes from the likes of Seattle Chef Tom Douglas (Lola’s, Wild Ginger, etc), to Mission Hill’s Chef Michael Allemeier, to name a couple. Recommended wine pairings are included for all.

Another nice touch is the range of accommodations included like Walla Walla’s stellar Marcus Whitman Hotel and the Aerie on Vancouver Island.

Photographer Jackie Johnston has captured the regions, their wines, cuisine and people in such a way that you’re almost in the picture, but since you aren’t, have an arm-chair visit, enjoy a few meals and then with Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining as your guide, hit the road and experience the region up close, on your plate and in your glass.

Hardcover
264 pages
$31.95

La Vie en Rosé
By Jamie Ivey

Hit the road with a trio of Brits, two of whom have chucked the corporate life, sold their home to trek around the south of France with the goal of living La Vie en Rosé (the life of rosé). Follow Jamie and Tanya Ivey’s adventures and misadventures, together with footloose pal Peter who’s along for the ride, the wine, the art, and the foie gras (yes, he finds the perfect pink wine for foe).

The Iveys original plan was to search out France’s best pink wines and open a rosÈ bar and live out their dream. Of course nothing goes as planned although they drink and source out many gorgeous wines meeting generous winemakers and colourful barkeeps along the way.

The tales of the trio’s travels, trials, and triumphs is a lively, lovely romp that leads to a surprising—and satisfying—end. If your path leads you to the south of France or if you’ve considered buying property there, this is a must read that will keep you smiling. Pull the cork (or twist the cap) on a bottle of rosÈ, settle in, and enjoy.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, food and wine writer

Hardcover
452 pages
$35.00

The House of Mondavi
By Julia Flynn Siler

“Tal padre, tal figlio” - Like father, like son
“A padre avaro, figliolo prodigo”- After a thrifty father, a prodigal son 
                                                     - Italian proverbs

In an era of global multinationals, the term “family business” rings of simpler, more honest times. Not so in The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty, Julia Flynn Siler’s chronicle of the Mondavi family and its classic “coming to America” legend. It is a story, however, that is also fraught with the morality of the Old Testament, the crushing inevitability of a Greek tragedy and the scandalous sexiness of an evening soap opera.

The story begins at the turn of the twentieth century at Ellis Island with arrival of Cesare Mondavi, who then journeys westward to Minnesota to work in the mines and save money. Cesare returns to Sassofferrato and courts and marries Rosa Grassi. With only a little education and a little English, the family returns to Minnesota, where a fatal accident drives Cesare out of the mines and into the grocery business, the first of many food-related endeavours. The die was cast.

The success of the family and the move to California sparked the growth of the family wine business. Prohibition did not stall their efforts; wine grapes, rather than wine, were sold. Their purchase of Krug Winery changed how the family ran business and ultimately changed America’s wine habits. With his two sons, Peter and Robert, Cesare was set to challenge how Americans drank wine. At the time, the country was drinking “tanker” wine, as in wine shipped by tanker train (not wine that was as heavy and explosive as a tank). The Mondavis changed that. They bottled it. The American palette was keen on sweet dessert-style wines. The Mondavis changed that. They offered fresher, drier alternatives, which resulted in part from their experimentation with cold fermentation. The success was astounding.

Success, however, comes at a cost, and Julia Flynn Siler goes onto discuss, with both empathy and objectivity, the conflicts, personalities and emotions that drove this family to its incredible success, divided it, and ultimately destroyed it. With the clarity that only hindsight can provide, Siler goes further still, to show how the terrible path of repetition that initially divided the house of Krug, has the same devastating effect on the Mondavi winery and family, as egos strived for recognition, expression and control.

The tragedy of the unravelling of the family is that it was to happen not once, but twice, to a family that contributed so much to what the world’s love of California wine. The Mondavi winery has been a model followed throughout the growing New World wine regions, including the Okanagan. This is a book outlines the history of one family in one valley, while also addressing the forces that can destroy a business and divide a family. So much bitter fruit makes for a heady mix.

Reviewed by Tony Peneff

Hardcover
356 pages
$42.95

Clever. Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page’s What to Drink with What You Eat is such a no-brainer, I wonder why someone didn’t beat them to the punch.

Described as “the definitive guide to pairing food with wine, beer, spirits, coffee, tea – even water,” Chefs Dornenburg and Page polled and consulted 72 of America’s best sommeliers for their recommendations. How American is it? Well, in addition to expected categories like salmon, steak, ribs, calamari, fruits and cheese to name a few, there are pairings for Hostess Twinkies, hot dogs, doughnuts, mac and cheese, and of course, the ubiquitous Big Mac. On the serious side, they’ve left no food unmatched, tackling this enormous topic from both the beverage end (what to drink with cognac or Cotes du Rhone) and from the food side offering matches for anchovies (Muscadet, Riesling, lemon-lime pop), Cajun cuisine (beer: lager wheat or pilsner, Riesling, Gewürztraminer) and salmon (chardonnay, pinot noir, red Burgundy), Kit Kat candy bar (African tea), and much, much more.

Other chapters explore the ABCs of pairing, offer menu pairings from top restaurateurs and choice lists of what some of the experts would take to a desert island. What to Drink with What You Eat is a wealth of information and a must for any food and wine lover.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

Soft cover
168 pages
$19.95 

Vancouver’s hip wine duo are back with an update of their inaugural best selling Have A Glass in 2005 and 2006’s Had A Glass with Had A Glass: Top 100 Wines for 2007 Under $20, a cut-to-the-chase easy read that will get any novice wino up to speed on how to taste and what to buy in mere minutes.

Halfaglass (that’s the duo’s professional moniker) is James Nevsion and Kenji Hodgson, and they’re wine drinkers, educators, and writers. All of the wines included in the latest tome, as always, are available at local liquor stores. This edition has the always-fun inclusions of what to eat with the wine and recommended occasion like Wednesday evening, date wine, food suggestions, etc. And there’s a quick and easy, handy guide to ‘how to taste’. The indexes at the back organize the wines by country (Chilean anyone?), type (let’s drink and compare Rieslings), and food (for easy match-ups).

Had a Glass 2007 is an easy read and super accessible for both novice drinkers and for those who just want to cut to the chase and source the best-bang-for-the-buck wines. And if you want to step it up, there’s a select list of special occasion wines, a seven-bottle short list of gems that over deliver for the price. Recommended occasions of course are a given. Had a Glass 2007 is a sound investment for about the price of a bottle. Cheers.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

 Hardcover
287 pages
$60.00

A must for any Canadian wine lover, The Wine Atlas of Canada, The Indispensable Guide, is an in depth coast-to-coast tour and snapshot of Canadian wineries as witnessed Tony Aspler, one of Canada’s foremost and well-traveled wine writers, is a must for anyone interested in Canadian wine.

Aspler covers off every wine region from the Maritimes to Vancouver Island: Wineries are profiled, as are notable wines and the proprietors and wine makers. Lavish, emotive photographs put readers in the picture so much so that the only thing missing is a glass of wine in hand but that’s easily remedied especially if one shops locally and tries one of Aspler’s recommended wine picks.

To aid in wine touring, Aspler has noted which wineries have restaurants, which have accommodation (both are increasing), which do tastings and tours and much more. Maps are there too, putting the whole scene into perspective. Interestingly, Vancouver and Paris are at almost the exactly the same latitude while Niagara’s wine regions lie up with the vineyards of Southern France.
 
The Wine Atlas of Canada is packed with information on the history of wine in Canada, insider tips on where to go, how to taste and what to taste, and useful information on winery etiquette and how to choose wine in restaurants.

A joy to read from start to finish, The Wine Atlas of Canada belongs in every Canadian wine fan’s library. Read. Drink. Tour. Enjoy.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

 Hardcover
279 pages
$29.95

You don’t have to be a wine fan to enjoy Natalie MacLean’s wine soaked romp of a read, Red, White, and Drunk All Over. MacLean, a multi-awarded wine writer, takes us on her journey as she visits vineyards and cellars the world over, and into restaurants and her home as she upends countless bottles of wine in her thirst for knowledge and pleasure.

An easy wit, enquiring mind and engaging writing style combined with a love of her subject combine to make Red, White, and Drunk All Over the best of reads, especially as we learn more than a little about wine along the way. You’ll laugh with MacLean as she recounts an evening’s undercover stint as sommelier in a five-star restaurant, toils in vineyards during harvest, rubs shoulders with wine legends, and you’ll applaud as she skewers some of the purple-est wine prose. MacLean’s description of teaching her friends to spit (an acceptable and required practice for wine tasters) during a casual wine tasting tutorial is side-splittingly, laugh-out-loud funny. Thankfully the technique is explained so that we can all perfect it.

More than a good read from a knowledgeable, curious and decidedly unconventional wine lover, Red, White, and Drunk All Over shows clearly that MacLean like to collect and drink wine (her home cellar is jammed with bottles) and share her informative tales from grape to bottle to glass with those of us who share a fondness for the grape.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

Hardcover
292 pages
$34.95

"Amenez-nous le rose de votre choix. Celui de mon mari...sera...le plus pale." With that, Jamie (Jamee), his francophile wife Tanya, and hedonistic friend Peter, abandon the stresses and grey skies of London for a year-long wager to find the palest of France's pinks and return with it to Mme. Etienne. In the tradition of Peter Mayle, Jamie Ivey paints a French landscape through rose-coloured glasses with humour and insight as he clashes with locals over bocce-inspired rivalries and the ever-encroaching anglais. A pleasure to read, with snippets of not only beloved Provence, but "vigne-ettes" from the underappreciated appellations of Corsica, the Loire, and the Jura, that entice one to live la vie en rose.

Reviewed by Tony Peneff

Hardcover
161 pages
$34.95 

If you agree with Plato who famously stated, “Nothing more excellent or valuable than wine was ever granted by gods to man” then you’re on the same page as Jonathan Ray, author of All About Wine. This, his latest book is for those “who have had a glass of wine and would like another … something different … and want to learn a bit more…”

Wine, according to Ray, is a subject accessible to anyone of any income level, and the more you know about wine, the more you’ll enjoy drinking it. His “journey of discovery” is full of simple attainable pleasures. Ray feels that too many people take wine too seriously when the most important thing is to know what you like (and why). What others think isn’t important.

All in, All About Wine is a simple and enthusiastic guide to the wide and wonderful world of wine. As you read through and taste, you’ll find that you’ll gain the knowledge and confidence to choose wines from an informed point of view.

Each page is a delight, liberally illustrated with beautiful photos and you’ll breeze through chapters on winemaking, grape varietals. Sidebars note the style of the wine, food suggestions and examples of famous wines. Next up a tour of key New and Old World wine regions with top producers noted. Canada gets a brief but intelligent shake. Styles are delved into, as is what to buy, cellaring, storing, glassware, ordering in restaurants, and tasting.

An excellent book to grow with, All About Wine is an ideal resource for novices and intermediate wine lovers alike.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

Hardcover
286 pages
$55 

Brunello di Montalcino
By Guelfo Magrini

A jewel of a book, Brunello di Montalcino, is the ultimate tome for lovers of sangiovese. Although it’s Italy’s most widely planted grape, and one of the top two red grapes in the country, sangiovese’s expression in the bottle is undeniable. Guelfo Magrini’s Brunello di Montalcino is an exploration of one of the world’s most important wines and will delight any lover of red wines, especially Italy’s top drops.

With over 200 winegrowers producing Brunello that is planted on 1400 hectares of vineyards equating to about five million bottles, 20% of those Reserve, a remarkable 64% of the wines are sold abroad. Germany, Switzerland, the US, Japan, Canada and England are the top importers.

This noble Italian wine traces its roots back to 2000 BC. It’s here that Magrini assiduously begins and traces it to modern day. He introduces other wines of Montalcino, the region’s culture, art and cuisine – cheeses, olive oils, truffles, pork products, pastas and pastries, game and grappa (and a selection of tantalizing recipes) – plus folklore and feasts.

A section on producers reads as a select buying reference and the inclusion of recommended restaurants makes this an ideal dining guide. Beautiful photography throughout is an ideal inducement and incentive to travel to the lands of Brunello.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

 Hardcover
352 pages
$39.95

Sherry
By Julian Jeffs

Sherry by Julian Jeffs is another most worthy selection in the Mitchell Beazley Classic Wine Library Series of books. The author knows is subject well. After graduating from Cambridge with a degree in Natural Sciences worked in the sherry trade at Spain’s Jerez de la Fronterra.

Sherry, sublime and seductive, has been enjoying a welcome renaissance of late and anyone with an appetite for this versatile spirit would be well served to delve into Jeffs’ newly revised Sherry, a much needed update of the 1961 original. The spirit’s history and mystery are unraveled as Jeffs explores the wine’s origins, early trade, and its growth through the 1870s boom times to dwindling sales in the late 20th century.

Jeffs gives an informed, experienced look at the process of taking the grapes from vineyard to mature wines, and investigates the different sherry styles and producers. All in all, Sherry is a classic and a worthy addition to every wine library.

Worth noting, sherry suppliers (shippers) “are very hospitable and are all happy to receive customers” and visitors.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

DVD
92 minutes
$22.99 

Wine for the Confused
By John Cleese

As anticipated John Cleese infuses moderate modicums of Pythonesque and Fawlty Towers-isms into his take on the world of wine in the Wine for the Confused DVD. It’s obvious that he’s determined to make sense of this sometimes bewildering and occasionally intimidating subject.

Right off, he lets us know that he likes wine and importantly, “Don’t let anyone tell you what to like.” Next up, he invites a few friends to a tasting party, encouraging them to use simple words to describe the taste of the wines. It’s a casual, easy approach to learning and an ideal tool for those who want the basics. Throughout the DVD, he visits wineries and vineyards, tasting both grapes (we learn the popular types of grapes) and wine, and learning how wine is made.

As he calls in at various California wineries, he tastes more and learns more terminology. Other sections are devoted to buying, serving, storing, and surviving a stereotypical snobby restaurant sommelier (fortunately of which there are few). Basic points on pairing wine and food are introduced in an accessible fashion.

Rest assured, there is plenty of humour and veins of hilarity running throughout. Once you’ve viewed this for the first time, you’ll want to go out and buy a bottle of each of the wines tasted and taste along as you view it again. Or have a wine tasting party.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

Soft cover
208 pages
$22.95

The Grail
By Brian Doyle

In The Grail, author Brian Doyle (and editor of Portland Magazine), spends much a year regularly traipsing from home base in Portland, Oregon to Lange Winery in the Dundee Hills. Fascinated by Oregon’s fabled pinot noir wines, he sets out to discover the winemaking process and the personalities behind the wines, or in his words, it’s “A year ambling and shambling through an Oregon vineyard in pursuit of the best pinot noir wine in the whole wild world.”

It’s an easy, breezy read. There are 69 anecdotal tales of his visits to Lange Winery, season-by-season, month-by-month, of drinking the wines and learning about the sorts of people who buy the wines. Technical? No. Entertaining? You bet. He captures the personalities of the Lange winemaking family and chronicles the joys and labours that go into crafting one Oregon winery’s superb pinot noirs.

Doyle’s writing style is pure pleasure and there’s plenty to like in his opening ramble, a single captivating sentence (400 words) that scurries on for a page and a half. The ensuing stories are adjective rich too, not quite as rambling and wonderfully escapist. Just the ticket for wine aficionados and word lovers. Pour a glass of pinot noir and enjoy.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

Tasting & Grading Wine
By Clive S. Michelsen

It’s a happy surprise to pick up a book and realize you didn’t know you needed it. Happily, fortuitously, countless numbers of people did and proceeded to harangue Clive Michelsen, the founder of Sweden's celebrated Malmo Wine Academy, to write and compile Tasting & Grading Wine, filling an obvious and much needed niche.

Written for serious amateurs, professionals, sommeliers, educators, wine agents and wine sellers, Tasting & Grading Wine is a comprehensive look at everything that makes wine fascinating, enjoyable and for many, a deeply rewarding interest and career.

This info-packed volume sets out all that one needs to know about tasting and grading wines: Michelsen conveys his depth of knowledge in easy-to-understand language and plenty of charts, diagrams, and photos. It’s a critical text that covers the fundamentals of wine appreciation from viticulture, winemaking, styles of wine, defects and flaws, sensory analysis and much more in straight-ahead, clear and concise language.

“Dauntingly impressive”, “Lots of detail and original”, “A thought-provoking addition to the arena of wine-tasting study”, “His experienced and individualistic approach to tasting and grading is both original and rigorous.” are some of the comments the book has received from the likes of wine pros Jancis Robinson and Steven Spurrier to name a few.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

Vineyards, Wineries & Wines of South America 2006
(Viñas, Bodegas & Vins de América del Sur)
Antonio Terni, Publisher

Vineyards, Wineries & Wines of South America 2006 is a must for anyone intrigued by the progress in wines coming out of South America or for wine enthusiasts embarking on a tour of South American wineries. As a fan of New World wines (I spent a couple of weeks recently touring Chilean wineries), I can vouch for the quality of information in this guide that covers the continent’s wine producing countries – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, 400 wineries and 2000 wines.

Wine touring tips, facts and useful info on local traffic and transport, restaurants and accommodation bump up the value for travelers. The guide also has excellent maps and icons denoting which wineries accept visitors and thorough write-ups on the facilities and the wines.

Prefacing the chapters on each country is a detailed inventory of South America’s Top 70 Wines, many of which are available in our market. A simply brilliant feature is the attached bookmark marked with the various symbols used throughout the guide meaning you won’t have to continually thumb back to the explanatory pages to decode the icons about the wines’ and wineries’ features.

There’s a bonus tucked into the back of the book, useful for those heading to Buenos Aires: a detailed map of the city and listings for vinotecas (wine bars), hotels clubs, restaurants and more.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

The Saucy Sisters’ Guide to Wine
By Barbara Nowak & Beverly Wichman

This breezy paperback wine guide is packed with accessible info suited to everyone from novices on up although it will likely get short shrift from wine snobs. Phooey on them, The Saucy Sisters’ Guide to Wine written by sisters Barbara Nowak and Beverly Wichman is packed with everything from how to stock your personal ‘cellar’ for $140 or less, how to order from a wine list or pick the ‘right’ wine for the occasion, to serving wine, and much more.

The sisters write in an accessible, easy-to-understand fashion. Nothing scary here, just a fun and factual approach to the delicious world of wine. The book is laced with anecdotes, tips, toasts, recipes, and how to taste and the fine art of spitting.

Ever wanted to know if wine is good for you? It is. It’s packed with nutrients and there are plenty of health reasons to drink it (in moderation of course). It does the body good and has beneficial affects on Alzheimer’s, heart and lung disease, bone mass, colds and more. And you thought it simply tasted good and made you feel great.

While the sisters make a case about why this is a “guide for girls”, I’d give it to any new-to-wine friend. It’s a straightforward, fun, easy-to-swallow intro to a tasty subject.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer

Hardcover
312 pages
$32.95

A History of the World in 6 Glasses
By Tom Standage

Have you ever wondered which came first, wine or beer? Something else? In A History of the World in 6 Glasses, author Tom Standage answers these questions and discusses the beverages that have influenced history. In fact, he makes a clear case that each of six epochs, from the Stone Age to the present, has had its signature beverage.

Standage, a historian and the Economist’s technology editor, expands on how it’s possible to divide the history of the world into periods dominated by six drinks – beer, wine, spirits, tea, coffee and coca-cola. “Each was the defining drink during a pivotal historical period, from antiquity to the present day.” Standage leads us on a fascinating, insightful tour. The connections are clever and compelling as we see how the discovery of beer led early civilization from being hunter-gatherers to farmers and finally to globalization by coca-cola, the world’s most dominant brand.

In A History of the World in 6 Glasses, Standage’s viewpoint on the development of civilization impacted by these beverages is palpable, probable, thought provoking, incisive and illuminating. You may never look at your favourite drink the same way again.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, wine and food writer 

Soft cover
248 pages
$19.95

John Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Tour Guide
By John Schreiner

John Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Tour Guide is a must-own, must-read for any aficionado of British Columbia wines. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s glove compartment-friendly.

For anyone who’s not familiar with Schreiner’s half dozen or so other B.C. wine books including the informative, beautifully photographed British Columbia Wine Country, and Icewine, the world’s most complete reference to date, you’re missing out. He’s quite simply the most knowledgeable and definitive source for anything about B.C. wines, winemakers, wineries and growers, existent and yet-to-be.

This book handily has all the Okanagan wineries listed alphabetically on the inside front cover flap and there’s a succinct map inside the back flap. In between are listings for every producing winery in the region, concise and entertaining backgrounders on the wineries, owners and winemakers plus contact info and hours, and most importantly for many of us, Schreiner’s wine picks.

I know the man – he’s my go-to-source (both in person and between the covers of his books) when I’m stumped on something or want to confirm facts. I know his palate and the breadth of his knowledge and can affirm that you can’t do better than to put your faith in his words and in the eponymous John Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Tour Guide.

Happy wine trails.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, food and wine writer

Hardcover
216 pages
$46.00

In The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass, author Jamie Goode, a trained scientist and wine columnist, manages a near impossible feat as he tackles subject matter that could easily come across as dry and pedantic. Instead he delivers a reference that is a fascinating read about wine science.

For those of us who have a need for deeper understanding of this complex, fascinating subject, Goode delivers in spades. He explores and explains scientific and technical innovations and their practical applications, and issues that affect wine’s quality, flavour and perception. He delves into terroir, sustainability, organics and biodynamics as well as the potential effect that climatic changes have on grape growing. And he’s not shy about steering into controversial territory as he weighs in on genetically modified vines, sulphites, cork issues, and the health benefits of wine. And there are loads of charts, diagrams, drawings and photographs.

If you have a thirst for a broader understanding of the nuts and bolts of wine, The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass will put you in good company with students, wine makers, wine professionals and like-minded individuals who’ve embraced this book.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, food and wine writer

Hardcover
246 pages
$44.00

Untrodden Grapes
By Ralph Steadman

If you’re a fan of California’s Bonny Doon Cardinal Zin, then you’re already acquainted with Ralph Steadman’s art that happily goes far beyond brilliant wine bottle labels. Even better, Steadman has authored two books, award-winning The Grapes of Ralph, and now Untrodden Grapes.

Bonny Doon notes that Steadman who lives outside of London is “a very proper, erudite and thoughtful English gentleman who happens to wield the brush as if it were a flame thrower. He may ultimately be single handedly responsible for people forgetting that we make good wine as well as great labels.”

Clever as his art is, Steadman does indeed know lots about wine. Over the years he’s “tromped through the vineyards, smelled the air and sampled the work of wineries on five continents.” And it’s in Untrodden Grapes that Steadman recounts his all-encompassing vinous tales as he roams the world of wine from California to Chile, and from Cabernet to Chardonnay.

Steadman’s prose is a romp which makes it all the more fun as he wickedly skewers winedom's sacred cows in his drawings. And it goes without saying, that there’s no wine snobbery here, just great storytelling and brilliantly executed, highly illustrative art. Pour yourself a cheeky glass of something tasty and enjoy.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, food and wine writer

Soft cover
758 pages
$45.00

Gault Millau Guide to German Wines
By Armin Diel and Joel Payne

German wine aficionados and wine professionals alike would do well to invest in the Gault Millau Guide to German Wines written by two of the world’s most informed authorities on German wines, Armin Diel and Joel Payne.
With the resurgence of German wines – these are truly some of the best food wines anywhere, the simplification of labeling, affordability and the increasing export market especially of Rieslings, interest is building apace and appreciation is growing.
With the Gault Millau Guide to German Wines, you’ll become acquainted with Germany’s 13 wine-growing regions, their history and geography, the best estates, established growers and little-known, family-run vineyards, and exciting reds.
How good is this book? I kept the Gault Millau Guide to German Wines close at hand while visiting a couple of dozen German wineries a few months ago and found it invaluable, not just for winery and vintage information but also for the useful commentary on hotels and restaurants. Producers, vintages, labels, ratings too, it’s all here. Highly recommended and an excellent resource to the wondrous world of German wines.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, food and wine writer

Hardcover

119 pages

$36.95

Japanese Dishes for Wine Lovers

By Machiko Chiba (pairing advice by J.K. Whelehan)

A must for anyone who loves Japanese food, Japanese Dishes for Wine Lovers offers valuable insight into both the simplicity of the cuisine and the components that make a successful food and wine pairing.

Machiko Chiba, author of eight cookbooks, has taught Japanese cooking in the USA for several years and her recipes are simple, straightforward and a delight to both prepare and eat. Addressing the enormous and ongoing popularity of Asian food – especially Japanese food in North America, Chiba and wine expert/writer J.K. Whelehan have tackled the principle of pairing Japanese food with wine.

With Japanese Dishes for Wine Lovers in hand, you’ll learn the basic principles of complementing the food’s delicate flavours and unique ingredients with various reds, whites, rosés and bubbles in an entertaining, and enlightened manner. There are 58 delicious recipes (ingredients are readily available) and each has two recommended wine accompaniments. Whelehan explains clearly and simply why the pairings works.

Bonus: Once you’ve made a few of the recipes and appreciate the basic principles, you’ll be able to dine out with aplomb and choose an appropriate wine pairing every time.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, food and wine writer

Hardcover
307 pages
$39.95

The Wines of Canada
By John Schreiner

John Schreiner is a godsend for Canadian wine writers – and many foreign ones as well – and for those in the wine trade and wine consumers who want to know who’s doing what and where. His in-depth knowledge of the Canadian wine scene as well as worldwide Icewine production and his ongoing commitment to remain at the forefront is an important undertaking. Schreiner, one of the country’s most experienced and respected wine writers has tasted wines around the world, has published a half dozen wine books. It’s commendable to note that an international publisher realized the importance of the Canadian wine industry and commissioned this invaluable book.

In The Wines of Canada, Schreiner has produced an up-to-date, comprehensive reference of Canada’s wine producing regions, grape varieties, wine producers and their wines. Beginning with the history of wine in Canada that dates back to the early 1800s, through prohibition and up to the present, Schreiner discloses plenty of surprising truths. He also places us fairly and squarely in today’s world of wine: we’re there and deserve to be –note the success of Canadian Icewine – and our wines improving in quality and competing successfully on the world stage.

In The Wines of Canada, Shreiner profiles hundreds of wineries from coast to coast including the fruit wineries, mead makers and cider producers detailing in quick order, the winery’s history, ownership, winemaker, production, varietals, strengths and weaknesses and rating them with a zero to five star system based on the wines he’s tasted.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, food and wine writer

Hardcover

664 pages

$65.00

The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia                                

By Tom Stevenson

The enjoyment of wine leads to travel whether vicariously via an armchair and book, glass of wine in hand of course, or doing the trains, planes and automobile things visiting the source. Either way, The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, the Classic Reference to the Wines of the World will get you there in a most inspired fashion.

This, the 4^th edition and update, is author and award-winning wine writer Tom Stevenson’s classic guide, the essential reference for wine lovers. Ideal for novices and experts alike, you’ll fined maps of every wine region of the globe, together with comprehensive information on every aspect of the wine world, old and new. Whether you’re looking for the dirt on the terroir of different regions, emerging producers, organic, biodynamic or otherwise, appellations or producers, it’s all here. Stevens also cites the top producers, highlights best value wines and offers measured assessments and opinions.

Want to learn how to taste, spit, and assess wine? It’s all here, photographs too. Want to know about terroir, viticulture, vinification, oak, varietals, storing and serving wine? All here and probably everything else you could possibly want to know.

Each country and region, and many producers and wines are explored, lavishly illustrated with plentiful maps, photos and wine labels. The New World is properly covered and all Canada’s wine regions are well and fairly represented.

Reviewed by Judith Lane, food and wine writer