Rating: 
Summary: A Must-Have reference book
Review: I was always intimdated by the thought of ordering and buying wine. Wine for Dummies opened the door to a whole new world of experiences. This book helped me understand the different types, vintages, and tastes of wine. It gives clear information and explanations, and answers most any question you could have on the subject of wines. With this book as your guide, you will have no problem navigating a wine list in a restaurant, or the aisles of your local wine shop. There is information on pairing wine and food, how to serve wine, and how to store it. It is the most complete book on wine that I have read to date. I found that it was easiest to concentrate on one section at a time, rather than to try to read and understand everything at once. Also, it was kind of fun reading one section, then trying some of the wines suggested by the authors, or simply trying the different kinds of wine in the section. The authors really know their wines. This book will easily become the one you refer to most. It is concise, well-organized and easy to follow.
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Summary: the best overall book on wine I've read
Review: I'm not an expert oeneophile (in fact, I can't even spell it), but I am an interested amateur who has read about 5 basic books on wine ranging from Parkers famous one to lesser known tomes (the Windows on the World one is good too). I think this dummies book offers the least pretentious and most concise overall guide to wine. It does cover a lot of ground which is why the same authors have separate books on white and red wines. On the bright side, you'll learn about every major grape variety and region in the wine world and how to find great bargains. I really enjoyed the tone and attitude -- the authors clearly know a lot, but make it clear that you don't have to be a wine snob to really enjoy wine.
Rating:
Summary: Very infomative tomb, funny and educational.
Review: If you ever wanted to know what all those words on the French wine labels mean and get a lesson in geography too, this is the book for you. This book enables one to successfully select a wide variety of wines from various countries and types of grapes based on what one already knows one likes.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for keeping up with the uppercrust
Review: If you're starting a job in food service and need to learn about wine, this book is for you. If you want to appreciate the finer qualities of wine, this book is a great place to start. If you want to keep up with your snotty friends and act as if you know what you're talking about, you definitely need this book. Tells you how wine is made, the best vintages, how to buy and serve....the works....Enjoy! :)
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Summary: Finally! A book on WHY wine snobs DO some of that stuff!
Review: If your idea of a good wine means that it doesn't have ascrew top, but you genuinely want to learn more about thecorked types, this is the book for you! This books takes much of the mystery out of WHY wine snobs do some of that silly looking stuff while at the same time pointing out which of those things are worth the effort and which aren't. Additionally, it turned out to be an invaluable reference for starting to look at the shelves in the local liquor store. The time prior to reading this book, I picked wines based on who had the prettiest label - while I did get one really good wine out of that batch, it wasn't a very dependable method. The next trip, I took a list I had made from this book and have been MUCH happier with the results. In the end, this is an excellent reference book and a does a great job of demystifying the rites and ritual of wine. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: great
Review: OK, I admit it. I hate these damn idiot books... but this one is great. I hate the ones I browse through in the bookstores on topics on which I know something. Perhaps that's why I loved this one? I've been into wine for a couple of years but knew almost nothing. One could say I was prepared to read this book then. Nevertheless, the book was precisely what I was looking for. It covered the whole kit and kaboodle, from the making of wine to the different sensations associated with different wine types to wine areas to how to order it in a restaurant. There's just tons of myths and disinformation out there about wine, and this book exposes them all. Truly a great one in my humble opinion.
Rating: 
Summary: a solid primer in wine appreciation
Review: Plenty of detail, all laid-out in an easy-to-understand manner. The "snob alerts" are esp. amusing -- proof that you can appreciate fine wines w/out having your nose stuck up in the air ;-)
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Summary: Great for your transition from dummie to geek!!!!!!
Review: The basic wine book. You can find from what tipe of grape is used in the Saint-Emillion to how many boxes of a wine France produces. I reccomend it, from non-drinkers to great wine coinosseurs.
Rating:
Summary: This Should Be Your First Wine Book
Review: The second edition of "Wine for Dummies" (WfD) is an excellent value. In an hour or so, you can get up to speed quick enough not to be totally embarrassed at a wine shop. After reading the whole book, you will have a surprising amount of information at your disposal. There is good coverage of tips on wine tasting, selecting, collecting, etc. There is also very good coverage of the various types of wine and the major countries that make it available. Near the end is a FAQ of sorts which is helpful, as are the appendices. Very little wasteful information (i.e., fluff) and the information is very good stuff. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A quick, fun, easy way to understanding wines
Review: This book offers an excellent introduction into wines. If you know little about wines, but want a quick, fun and easy way to learn, this book is for you. After reading this book, I was able to talk intelligently about the different varieties of wines, how wine is made and how to taste wines. This book has improved my social and professional life. At business dinners, I'm able to talk about wines and navigate through the wine list intelligently. On the social front, I recently held an amatuer wine tasting at my house and it was big success. One chapter in the book explains all the attributes and nuances you could sense in a wine. I organized the attributes with the descriptions in a table, with a few blank columns for wine tasting notes. My guests were entertained and educated at the same time. The writing is clear and concise. The authors do not take a snobby attitude towards tasting; throughout the book, they emphasize that good wine is primarily determined by personal choice. They give you the tools to learn to taste and enjoy wine. I read at an average rate. In about 2 hours, I was able to talk intelligently about the wine making process, understand how to taste wines, and navigate around wine shops. This book should be read over a period of several weeks so that you can actually practice what you've read. The only drawback with this book is that there are no colorful pictures and they weren't very explicit about which flavors to concentrate on while drinking different wine varieties. Overall, this book is excellent for beginners. After reading the first few chapters, you'll go from beginner to an intermediate wine buff. I even purhased several of these books for my friends as Christmas gifts!
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