Wine: An Introduction

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Let's drink a toast to Joanna Simon for giving a clear and lively introduction to the mysteries of wine from within the pages of a coffee table–style book.

The book itself is so well illustrated with beauty shots of wines, vineyards, and cellars that you don't realize until the end that Simon has given you the equivalent of a semester-long wine course. As the award-winning wine correspondent of Britain's Sunday Times, Simon is experienced in the art of uncorking the world of wine for beginner and intermediate wine enthusiasts. Whether you're ready to move beyond Merlot or want help with pronunciation, Simon's book will prove a reliable and contemporary guide.

One of the most helpful sections is categorization of wine by style -- a feature that will help you choose unfamiliar wines you are likely to enjoy. If, for example, you like big, spicy reds like Zinfandel and Chilean Cabernet, Simon has a host of similar wine families, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Cornas from France, Primitivo and Barolo from Italy, and Ribera del Duero and Priorata from Spain. If you like (but are tiring of) California Chardonnay, you may want to branch out to Chablis from France, Viognier from Australia or California, white wines from Navarra in Spain, or Chenin Blanc from South Africa.

Simon guides you through the major and minor wine-producing grapes, from Malbec and Sangiovese to the South African Pinotage, and reviews the production of wine from growing to bottling. The art of tasting is well covered, from a glossary of wine language, aromas, and flavors, to the fine points of tilting, twirling, sipping, and, sometimes, spitting. There's a helpful pronunciation chart, along with expert advice for buying, storing, and serving. (Ginger Curwen)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Open the pages of this inspiring guide and you uncork the exciting world of wine. Award-winning wine writer Joanna Simon steers the reader through a tantalizing range of styles, grape varieties, and wine-producing regions and offers refreshingly down-to-earth advice on how to buy, taste, serve, and store wine for maximum enjoyment. Most of us would like to try a wider range of wines, but are reluctant to make an expensive mistake. Joanna Simon helps readers to experiment with confidence and taste new wines that are similar to those they already enjoy. So for instance, if you like Australian Chardonnay, you may also like white wines from Navarra in Spain, Chilean Semillon, or South African Chenin Blanc. Covering over 70 grape varieties, the typical flavors of key varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling are examined in depth. There are expert tips on buying, storing, and tasting wine along with advice on food and wine pairings, essential vintage charts, a glossary of terms, and a useful pronunciation guide. Sumptuous location photography of the vineyards, wineries, and cellars perfectly captures the miraculous process that turns the humble grape into something spectacular in the glass.

Author Biography: Joanna Simon is the award-winning wine correspondent of Britain's The Sunday Times newspaper and her weekly column in the Style section is avidly read by those who enjoy wine but want to know more. She is also a successful author and broadcaster and contributes to many publications worldwide on all aspects of wine, including matching wine to food. Joanna's previous books include the best-selling Discovering Wine, which has sold over 250,000 copies in 12 languages, and Wine with Food. She has been writing about wine since 1981 and has been editor of both Wine and Wine & Spirit International magazines. In 1999, she presented The Bottle Uncorked, BBC Radio 4's first series devoted to wine. When not tasting, writing, talking about wine or visiting the world's vineyards, Joanna spends as much time as possible in a remote part of France. She is married to the art critic and broadcaster Robin Simon. They have one daughter. Joanna Simon's awards include: 1992-Glenfiddich Drink Writer of the Year, 1992-Qantas Wine Writer of the Year, 1995-Winner of the Wine Guild of the United Kingdom's Book Award, 1995-Silver Medal from the Gastronomische Akademie Deutschlands, 1997-Premier Cru Wine Writer of the Year.