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Rating: 
Summary: A no-nonsense guide
Review: I picked up this book because of the size and texture of the cover. Little did I know that beneath this inviting exterior was a gem of a book.Although it is geared toward restaurant servers, anyone wishing to gain knowledge about wine, wine-producing regions, and drinking wine will appreciate the clear, no-nonsense approach by author Brian Smith. -Dan
Rating:
Summary: A no-nonsense guide
Review: I picked up this book because of the size and texture of the cover. Little did I know that beneath this inviting exterior was a gem of a book. Although it is geared toward restaurant servers, anyone wishing to gain knowledge about wine, wine-producing regions, and drinking wine will appreciate the clear, no-nonsense approach by author Brian Smith. -Dan
Rating:
Summary: Superlative introduction to the wonderful world of wine
Review: I'm just beginning my real introduction to the world of wine. I say real, because I have been enjoying wine (red, mostly) for the better part of eighteen years. However, I have never gotten more serious than having a very limited knowledge of grapes and particular blends. For example, I knew of Cabernet Sauvignon, the regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, Chardonnay, and eventually came to hear of Merlot. Six years ago, I saw Cabernet Franc in a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and was excited there was another grape of which I had not heard. Soon after that, it was Shiraz. Then something happened in the last six months - perhaps it was tiring of drinking cheap wine (Charles Shaw) - I decided to spend the extra money and branch out. I started talking to sommeliers at restaurants and stores, asking questions, and while I have only grazed the surface on what there is to know about the breathtaking enormity of the world of wine, my knowledge has increased notably.
Part of the reason for that is this little book. I picked it up at a retailer (sorry Amazon!) because I noticed it on the shelf and it had a very inexpensive price tag. Flipping through the pages, I realized this had some good information in it - enough at first glance to justify spending a small sum.
That small sum has paid dividends. While the title is pretentious, the book itself is not. It begins by introducing us to the world of wine, describing what wine is, the grapes that are used to make wine, different wine styles, and then gets more specific, describing specific wines: dry white wine; semi-sweet white wine; pink wine; dry red wine; sparkling wine; sweet wine; and fortified wine. While the descriptions of each are brief, they do an excellent job of covering the essentials.
From there the book moves into "How to Taste", and unlocks the mysteries of what we are supposed to look for in wine. Most people that want to seem like they know what they are doing in a restaurant merely embarrass themselves. For example, they sniff the cork instead of squeezing it, or slush the wine around in the glass when poured for the initial taste as if they are trying to set a speed record. This section tells us how to do it more properly. It also discusses tastes, aromas, flavors, and textures. What is an example of a "chewy" wine? Cabernet Sauvignon, because it is dry, full bodied, and strong, with a smooth beginning that (if the wine is of good quality) explodes on the palate with perhaps four or five distinct flavors, and then finishes rough. Chewy refers to it being full bodied. Heavy in the mouth.
There is a very instructive and well-organized section on wines by grape type. Each major grape (every grape in the world isn't listed - if it were, it would fill the whole book) is listed, and is characterized with this information: Usual wine style; Intensity; Aromas/Flavors; Acidity; Texture; Tannin; Wood; Foods; Cooking styles; and the Principal Regions that wine is grown in.
The above hardly sounds like something useful to a Sommelier, does it? But that's only the first 30 pages. After that is where the real fun begins. All of the areas of production are covered exhaustively for such a small tome (e.g., the U.S. France, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Italy, Spain, etc.). There is a section on ordering wine in the restaurant, then combing wine with food, and finally how to buy.
I love this book. It is an excellent introduction.
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