Wineries of the Eastern States (2nd ed)

Rating:
Summary: Good base info but gets outdated quickly
Review: I live in Massachusetts and visit the wineries in New England at least once a month, so I was very interested in this book when I saw it become available. On one hand it's great to finally have a book available on these wineries - they deserve all the attention they get. There are some world-class wineries in Massachusetts and New York, especially in Long Island. They have been overlooked for far too long.

Unfortunately, it's hard to have any book keep up with the changes in this industry, and the third edition came out with incorrect information that they hadn't changed from the second edition. I might grab this if you don't know anything at all about the region, but you should always check the individual wineries' websites for actual offerings, hours of operation, and current ratings by the Wine Spectator.

Rating:
Summary: Wine Tourists Will Be Pleased
Review: If you live in the Northeast, or are a tourist there, and have an interest in wine, you should pick up this book. I live in central Connecticut (just outside Hartford) and was pleased with the coverage in this area and the Eastern / Northeastern areas in general. Each major winery has a brief discussion and broad rating. There is information on different grape varietals as well as a condensed how-to section on how wine is made. There is coverage on some places to stay and places to eat in the respective areas. As the author notes, this is not an exhaustive tome, but is a helpful guide based on the author's personal experience and recommendation -- often the best kind of guide to have.