Rating: 
Summary: Your own personal wine tutor.
Review: This book takes the complete wine ignoramus by the hand on a journey covering all of the basics. VERY well written, nothing is left to chance as they anticipate most questions you could think of. How different wines are made, characteristics of different wines, and buying and serving wine are covered. Then it's off to explore the wine regions of the world, and includes advice on winery touring. The book includes the following: Tasting and describing wine, Matching food and wine, Storing and aging. A pronunciation guide, glossary, and vintage charts are also helpful. They then recommend sources of more information if all that wasn't enough. You won't go wrong with this book.
Rating: 
Summary: OK, if you're a dummy
Review: This introductory book, which is similar to but doesn't significantlyduplicate the same authors' "Red Wine for Dummies" and "White Wine for Dummies," covers considerable ground; I'd advise the newcomer to the wine hobby begin with
this general book before moving to the "Red" and "White" editions, which cover a bit more detailed and advanced information. Despite the self-deprecating "dummies" concept, the authors present wine with just a whiff of snootiness hanging in the air. Still, there's ample content here, and it's presented in easily digestible form.
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Summary: an outstanding book on wine
Review: This is a concise, easy to read book on wine that is fairly thorough and extremely practical. It makes wine very accessible and enjoyable to all.
Rating:
Summary: excellent introduction to wine
Review: This is an excellent, well-written introduction to the world of wine
Rating: 
Summary: Magnifico!
Review: This is quite a magnificent book. I was completely ignorant on the subject of wine before reading it, but I had the ambition to learn all I could. Now my friends come to me for wine advice. I am consistantly referencing this wonderful book. Every time I read it, I learn something new. It is amazing that such experts can write in such a comprehensible manner, but they do. They make a wonderful team. I condsider this book the authority on all subjects related to wine, bar none.
I read the book and I thought, this doesn't sound too bad but I found myself miserable. I just was frustrated after a week....it was very regimented. I did benefit by eliminating my coffee habit with the help of a wonderful coffee substitute called soyfe e (www.soyc offee.co m) Its made from soybeans which is a godsend for those trouble with hot flashes like myself. Another book I bought was the South Beach Diet book. I read that book and found the plan to be made up of things I would eat and the items were normal grocery store items so no hunting at the health food stores or buying online.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Very good book. Describes many aspects of the world of wine in a way that doesn't require previous knowledge. Also, not the least bit pretentious or arrogant. For anyone interested in wine, this is a great start.
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Summary: Wine snobs, beware!
Review: When I was a kid and I got to go out for dinner with my folks, I remember my dad teaching me how to choose a wine. He showed me how to select a wine according to what we were having for dinner, demonstrated swirling and sniffing techniques, and discussed the local California wineries. It was great! Then I grew up and forgot most of what he told me. The good news is that this book contains everything my dad told me and more! But what I liked best about this book (besides the refresher course) was that it was written in an easy-to-follow, matter-of-fact manner. The tips were practical, the commentary was light-hearted, and at times I almost felt like I was reading instructions written especially for me by a friend. A definite "must-have" for anyone who wants to add a bit of practical culture to his or her repertoire!
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Summary: A Great Entry into the World of Wine
Review: Wine can be mystifying. There are countless names of wines, some indicating the grape used, some the place, some both. A Chardonnay is a wine made from that grape, unless it's being used in a region of France, in which case it's called Chablis. Some wine is ready to drink when you buy it, but others need 10-20 years of aging. The bottle doesn't have a "drink by" date on it! For people looking to travel this confusing landscape, and even for long-time drinkers who wish to learn more, Wine for Dummies is a fascinating way to delve into the world of wine. What other manual has 5th Wave cartoons scattered throughout it, and sections named "Pinot Envy"? The tone of the manual is lighthearted but very informative. It starts with the basics of wine - what is a red, white, and rose wine, and a quick description of how each is made. It goes into tasting wine - how to best get the flavors out of a wine, and how to describe the wine to others in a way they might understand. Next the various terms are discussed - blending, filtering, and so on. Grapes are described, with descriptions of how they have different flavors depending on where they are planted. Notes describe how organic farming, sulfites, and tannins are involved in grape-growing. One section goes in depth into the whole wine-naming dilemma, describing various place names and what grapes are used there. Another section goes step-by-step through the normal process of ordering wine in a restaurant, and dealing with the waiter's presentation. The language of labels is described, from Californian labels where usually the grape name and winery name are important, to European wines where typically the location and year are prominent. Varieties of labels are described, with notes on what to watch for. The manual goes into each wine making region - France, Italy, Spain, the US, and many others - describing what wines are typical there, what makes the region unique, what to watch for. A special section on Champagne goes over the methode champenoise and how similar methods are used in many countries. Good Champagnes to try in the various styles are listed out for reference. In general, Wine for Dummies covers just about any questions a newcomer to wine would have, and does so in an easy to understand and fun manner. I'd highly recommend this to all wine newbies!
Rating:
Summary: Start Here
Review: Wine For Dummies is an excellent beginners textbook on the subject. It covers a broad range of topics and concerns that the complete novice will have no problem understanding. After reading this book thoroughly, one can immediatley feel comfortable ordering and discussing a variety of wine types. Two really important points the book makes concerning the seemingly mysterious world of wine are: 1)No one in the world knows everthing about wine. 2)I am my own best judge of wine quality. This book is a great springboard to more in-depth reading about the whole wine industry.
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Summary: Great book !
Review: Wines for Dummies is an excellent, superb book (I actually read the Finnish version called "Viininystävän käsikirja"). I think the writers Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan not only know their topic but can really tell their story in intellectual, educational, and, last but not least, humorous way. Now I can know as much about wines as I ever need to ! Great book !
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