4.58

5

March 15, 2015

A quintessential book for anyone who wants to further their wine education and enjoy it!

5

June 4, 2017

I work in the wine bar ...it helps me a lot to know about wine basics information and so on. .

5

September 15, 2018

This book is very good but i don't understand why am i charged again for the same book. i thought i have to pay only once if i am charged every month 636 rs. definitely its not worth it.

5

Oct 20, 2010

This is the best topically informative book I have ever read. When I was first getting into wine I would reach out for this book at my bedside and without fail it would soothe me like a night cap and feed my thirst for wine knowledge. It is thorough, nerdy, literary, all without the snobbery that is often found in things wine related. The word bible gets abused as the noun for encompassing information books but this book deserves the title. I can spout about wine but a lot of my knowledge is not This is the best topically informative book I have ever read. When I was first getting into wine I would reach out for this book at my bedside and without fail it would soothe me like a night cap and feed my thirst for wine knowledge. It is thorough, nerdy, literary, all without the snobbery that is often found in things wine related. The word bible gets abused as the noun for encompassing information books but this book deserves the title. I can spout about wine but a lot of my knowledge is not personal, it's from this book, written so personably that people often think the haughty wine trivia I spout is personal. ...more

5

Nov 02, 2015

I bought this book in order to begin learning about wine, and all I could think about is how much I love it.
I believe MacNeil has done a great job, and the glossary is my best friend. It was published in 2000, meaning it is a bit outdated for 2015 with wine growing more and more popular each day, but it is still a great base for getting to know the basics of wine.
Although there is the newer 2015 version out, I think owning this book is a must.
It's a fun, entertaining read and it definitely I bought this book in order to begin learning about wine, and all I could think about is how much I love it.
I believe MacNeil has done a great job, and the glossary is my best friend. It was published in 2000, meaning it is a bit outdated for 2015 with wine growing more and more popular each day, but it is still a great base for getting to know the basics of wine.
Although there is the newer 2015 version out, I think owning this book is a must.
It's a fun, entertaining read and it definitely hits you with knowledge.
I'm not quite sure I will be purchasing the newer version since I don't want over 300 pages of repetition, but a must for anyone that is a wine enthusiast. ...more

5

Jul 26, 2013

When is a wine ready to drink? A wine is ready when you can't bear to wait for it any longer.

4

Dec 21, 2017

Excellent read for those taking the first steps into the world of wine.

4

Dec 14, 2015

This book is amazing. Pretty much everything you want to know about wines. I've been using it as a reference since I received it as a Goodreads giveaway. The author also has a very prosaic style, so it is not a dry reference book - lots of color to the writing and interesting facts. I can see my using this book a lot as we love to explore different wines from many regions.
The only wish I have, which keeps me from 5 stars, is the lack of many food pairings with the wines she highlights. This book is amazing. Pretty much everything you want to know about wines. I've been using it as a reference since I received it as a Goodreads giveaway. The author also has a very prosaic style, so it is not a dry reference book - lots of color to the writing and interesting facts. I can see my using this book a lot as we love to explore different wines from many regions.
The only wish I have, which keeps me from 5 stars, is the lack of many food pairings with the wines she highlights. Otherwise, great tool. ...more

4

Jan 21, 2014

Of note: I only read the first part containing information on wine making and tasting, various grapes, and the differences between reds and whites (aside from color, of course), so my rating is based on the initial 110 pages. As the remaining 800 pages contain the breakdowns between wine, country, and region, I'll be saving those for later as reference.

Read 'em as I drink 'em, basically.

Four stars for the solid information and ease of comprehension. That lost star is for the so-so presentation: Of note: I only read the first part containing information on wine making and tasting, various grapes, and the differences between reds and whites (aside from color, of course), so my rating is based on the initial 110 pages. As the remaining 800 pages contain the breakdowns between wine, country, and region, I'll be saving those for later as reference.

Read 'em as I drink 'em, basically.

Four stars for the solid information and ease of comprehension. That lost star is for the so-so presentation: the text is drier than any dry wines I've ever tasted, despite MacNeil's attempts at a casual, more intimate voice. Overall an excellent resource for wine drinkers interested in more than just guzzling the grapes, more for expanding one's experience and use for later reference than for intriguing reading material. ...more

3

Feb 24, 2016

Richard Betts
http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/10/0...

What makes a wine great?

- Distinctiveness: varietal character vs blends (which can also be distinctive) => this wine could not be anything; it is something. Simple test: is this wine delicious and different from others? Do you feel like drinking more?
- Balance: all of its major components (fruit, earth, wood, acid, alcohol & tannin) are in equilibrium; harmonies tension of opposites that makes the wine interesting and you want to drink Richard Betts
http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/10/0...

What makes a wine great?

- Distinctiveness: varietal character vs blends (which can also be distinctive) => this wine could not be anything; it is something. Simple test: is this wine delicious and different from others? Do you feel like drinking more?
- Balance: all of its major components (fruit, earth, wood, acid, alcohol & tannin) are in equilibrium; harmonies tension of opposites that makes the wine interesting and you want to drink more; integration; harmonious
- Precision: expressive not muddied or blurry flavours
- Complexity: multi-faceted aromas & flavours which reveals themselves layer by layer over time; not monochromatic in flavour or mono-dimensional in appeal; kaleidoscope - that’s why you are compelled to take sip after sip to discover layers of flavours
- Beyond fruitiness: tar, bitter expresso, roasted meats, blood, worn leather, exotic spices, minerals, rocks, wet bark, dead leaves etc
- Length & finish: persistence on your tongue
- Ability to evoke an emotional response; a connectedness to a certain place and time: expressions of terroir (everything that goes into the wine e.g. the soil, weather, hours of sunlight, amount of rainfall, wind velocity, fog, minerals, rivers, slope of the land, elevation, orientation to the sun etc); evokes memories

Tasting Notes: F.E.W. = Fruit, Earth, Wood
Appearance: transparent (light) vs dense (full bodied); bright red vs dark red/blackish purple

- Age hints: light: bluish tinge (young) vs brick coloured (old); full bodied: bluey-purple (young) vs brick-brown/orange (old)

Legs: more alcohol more legs & slower the legs fall
Nose & Taste
http://www.bettertastingwine.com/Imag...

Major wine regions
Old World
France

- Burgundy: Pinot Noir/Chardonnay; Cote d’Or [Cote de Nuits (North) e.g. Vosne Romanée (DRC: 1. Le Montrachet; 2. Romanee-Conti; 3. LaTache; 4. Richebourg; 5. Romanee-St Vivant; 6. Eschezeaux & 7. Grand Eschezeaux), Gevrey-Chambertin (Pierre Damoy), Morey St Denis, Chamboule-Musigny, Voguent, Nuits-St Georges vs Cote de Beaune (South) e.g. Aloxe-Corton, Batard, Puligny-Montrachet, Pommard], Cote Chalonnaise Chablis and Mâconnais (Pouilly Fuisse) ex-Beaujolais; 33 Grand Crus = 2% of Burgundy production

- Bordeaux: Left Bank (Cabernet Sauvignon) e.g. Medoc (Margaux, St Julien (Talbot), Paulliac (Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Mouton Rothschild, Pichon Longueville Lalande/Baron, Lynch-Bages, Grand Puy Lacoste), St Estephe), Graves (Haut Brion), Sauternes (d’Yquem), Entre-Deux-Mers (Château de Sours (bought by Jack Ma)) vs Right Bank (Merlot) e.g. Pomerol (Petrus (100% Merlot)), St Emilion (Cheval Blanc (aka White Horse Castle; featured in ‘Sideways’; 57% Cabernet Franc/40% Merlot), Angelus, Pavie)

- Rhone: Northern Rhone (Cote Rotie, Hermitage), Southern Rhone (Chateauneuf du Pape aka castle of the Pope when the Pope resided in the walled city of Avignon during the 14th Century - famous for its blended wine (14 permitted e.g. Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah/Cinsaut) - Chateau La Nerthe, Chateau de Beaucastel, Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe (aka "old telegraph"))
- Champagne:
- Alsace: border of France & Germany; devoted almost exclusively to whites; Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris & Muscat - typically single varietal; "Marcel Deiss is the guy who does field blends really interesting style biodynamic, coating very sexy wines” (Grand Cru Altenberg is a blend of 13 grapes), Weinbach - “the wines are among the most expressive, powerful and elegant in all of Alace” (Ana’s fave), Marc Kreydenweiss (Moenchberg Grand Cru Pinot Gris)
- Loire Valley: Mosse (Chenin Blanc = to the finest whites from California)

Italy

- Super Tuscans: Sassicaia

Spain

- Rioja
- Ribero del Duero: Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva

Germany

Portugal

Lebanon

Austria

Greece

Israel

New World
USA - Judgement of Paris 1976: Californian Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 1973 beat 1970 Mouton-Rothschild
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judgmen...

- Napa Valley: Cabernet Sauvignon/Chardonnay/Zinfandel; Screaming Eagle, Stag’s Leap, Inglenook, Robert Mondavi (Opus One), Diamond Creek, Harlan Estate, Joseph Phelps, Dalla Valle, Stony Hills, Shafer, O’Shaughnessy, Ovid, Scarecrow

- Sonoma: aka California’s Provence; Russian River Pinot Noir/Chardonnay/Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon & Zinfandel; see Edmund’s tasting notes (Merry Edwards, Dutton-Goldfields, Miramar, Hanzell, Gary Farrel, Shug, William Selyem, Rochioli, Kosta Browne)

Australia

- Barossa Valley: Rusden Christine’s Vineyard (Grenache punches above its weight), Ben Glatzer (Amon Ra, Anaperenna), Torbreck, Charles Melton (Nine Popes is a homage to Chateauneuf du Pape), Elderton
- Healthcote (Shiraz)
- Margaret River: Leeuwin Estate (Chardonnay)

New Zealand

- Central Otago: World’s southernmost wine region; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay; Felton Road, Sato, Wild Earth, Misha’s Vineyard
- Marlborough: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir; Cloudy Bay, Greywacke, Dog Point
- Martinborough: soil & climate similar to Burgundy; Pinot Noir; Ata Rangi, Dry River, Craggy Range, Martinborough Vineyard
- Hawke’s Bay: Malbec, Syrah; Brookfields Hillside

Argentina

Chile

South Africa

Key grape varietals
Reds
Light & Smooth (least tannic)

- Pinot Noir: S-characteristics: soft, smooth, silky, sexy, subtle
- Grenache: Pinot Noir like S-characteristics grown in warmer climates; Chateauneuf du Pape
- Dolcetto: aka Little Sweet One; recommended by Richard Betts; Piedmont, Italy; simple, fruity quaffing wine (soft red cherry & sometimes acid/slightly sour twist although it is generally a low-acid grape). Most frequently made in stainless steel => no oak flavours
- Zinfandel:

Medium bodied

- Tempranillo:
- Sangiovese:
- Merlot: Angelus,
- Nero D’avola: Sicily
- Malbec: medium-full bodied

Full bodied (most tannic)
Appearance: dark red; port like; younger wines tend to be more blue-purple vs older wines are brick-brown

- Cabernet Sauvignon:
- Shiraz/Syrah: spicy
- Nebbiolo: Piedmont & across Italy; makes the legendary Barolo & Barbaresco; full flavoured; fruity, spicy; power, structure & tannin - ages well up to 10 yrs

Whites

- Chardonnay: the only grape used to make Chablis & White Burgundy; buttery in taste
- Champagne
- Prosecco
- Cava
- Riesling
- Chenin Blanc: Loire Valley
- Gewürztraminer: Alsace & Germany; heady nose; rose, lychee, gingerbread, orange/grapefruit; pairs well with pork
- Pinot Gris ...more

0

Dec 16, 2007

Hi. I'm suggesting this as a perfect accompaniment to my own book The New Short Course in Wine. I wrote The New Short Course in Wine because I taught a course in wine for people studying hospitality management. They were usually college-age and many of them had no experience with wine at home. It was important that they have a working familiarity with the subject as they entered a world where people at the top tended to be very sophisticated about wine.
So the course was a high-speed finishing Hi. I'm suggesting this as a perfect accompaniment to my own book The New Short Course in Wine. I wrote The New Short Course in Wine because I taught a course in wine for people studying hospitality management. They were usually college-age and many of them had no experience with wine at home. It was important that they have a working familiarity with the subject as they entered a world where people at the top tended to be very sophisticated about wine.
So the course was a high-speed finishing school in wine. The goal was something like sophistication and it had to be done quickly-ten weeks in this case.
There was no book that did the job, so I looked at what I considered to be the core bits of knowledge and experience that went into a person's becoming wine savvy.
This book is the result. I think it might make a great gift for any wine-lover. It would also be the perfect present for the beginner or moderately experienced taster who would like to know more.
If you should get or give a copy of either of these books this holiday season, please let me know what you think.
Thanks,

Lynn. ...more

4

Mar 24, 2008

It is difficult to imagine a more thorough, informative and user friendly book on wine than MacNeil’s The Wine Bible, though I write this without having done a comprehensive survey of what is available.
The book divides into two parts. The first is an introduction to the elements of winemaking and wine tasting, including the major kinds of grapes, the various processes for making different kinds of wine, the major features of wine to pay attention to when tasting, and discussion of the best way It is difficult to imagine a more thorough, informative and user friendly book on wine than MacNeil’s The Wine Bible, though I write this without having done a comprehensive survey of what is available.
The book divides into two parts. The first is an introduction to the elements of winemaking and wine tasting, including the major kinds of grapes, the various processes for making different kinds of wine, the major features of wine to pay attention to when tasting, and discussion of the best way to serve wine and pair it with food.
The second is a country by country, region by region, sub-region by sub-region discussion of grapes, vineyards and wines from around the world.
The book may not make a sommelier out of you overnight, but a thorough study of its contents could certainly be the first step in that direction. MacNeil’s discussion is well-written and accessible, and she does a remarkable job of providing a maximum of information with a minimum of jargon or distracting details. MacNeil has a deep and enthusiastic appreciation, not only for the wines, but also for the history, culture and food of each of the countries that she writes about. This adds extra dimensions to the book; indeed, at times it reads almost as much like a travel guide (complete with refreshments) as it does like a reference work on wine.
MacNeil does a good job of focusing on the history and abiding traditions of winemaking in various places, and not too much on the particular fads or idiosyncratic successes of the present. Even when these latter are discussed, it is from the perspective of what they might mean for the future development of specific grapes or wine regions, thus rendering the majority of the information in the book likely to remain current for a long time to come.
While the title may strike some as a bit sacrilegious, the book certainly lives up to it in both its comprehensiveness and definitiveness; indeed, if ease of access and interpretation is what is at issue, it may even be a few steps ahead.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for either an introduction to the world of wine that will also be useful later on down the road, or a definitive one stop reference for answering the majority of questions about wine that are likely to arise in the life of an average human being.
...more

5

Mar 01, 2017

Can one actually read a nearly 900-page tome on wine cover-to-cover. Yes you can, and Karen Karen MacNeil, along with another book, The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher will change your views on wine, help you understand this complex beverage--all while avoiding the wine snobbery that populates wine magazines, reviews, tastings and folks who take the subject a step too far!

5

Mar 29, 2019

very insightful!! perfect for the new wine drinker looking to expand his/her knowledge of the different wine regions and types of wine.......highly recommended!!!!

5

Jul 31, 2018

Just finished and more to come on what I liked about this incredible effort by Karen MacNeil. I will be returning to this book regularly over the next few years.

5

Jan 31, 2018

Never thought I would make it through all 1000 pages in this book when I first started reading it, but I found myself reaching for this book whenever I had a free moment. It’s thorough, without the snobbery. MacNeil has a deep and enthusiastic appreciation, not only for the wines, but also for the history, culture and food of each of the countries that she writes about. This adds extra dimensions to the book. At times it reads almost like a travel guide as it does like a reference work on wine. Never thought I would make it through all 1000 pages in this book when I first started reading it, but I found myself reaching for this book whenever I had a free moment. It’s thorough, without the snobbery. MacNeil has a deep and enthusiastic appreciation, not only for the wines, but also for the history, culture and food of each of the countries that she writes about. This adds extra dimensions to the book. At times it reads almost like a travel guide as it does like a reference work on wine. The book is divided into two parts. The first is an introduction to the elements of winemaking, wine tasting, major kinds of grapes, etc. The second part (my favorite) is a country by country, region by region, sub-region by sub-region discussion of grapes, vineyards and wines from around the world. ...more

4

Oct 03, 2019

This is very dense but well done. Not an easy read by any means but worth slogging through if you’re in the industry.

5

Jul 12, 2019

I'll definitely never read the whole thing. It is a book of fantastic reference! It's going to be an ongoing thing for as long as I love wine.....

4

Nov 02, 2017

Very informative and nice nuggets of food and wine pairing is pretty fun!

5

Mar 15, 2018

Very informative I have earned a great deal and continue to learn as I read it. On a recent cruise I got into a lengthy discussion with the wine steward who insisted that Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris were the same thing. While they may use the same grape, the taste is totally different.

5

Jun 28, 2018

One of the very best books on the subject of wine. It’s a beginners book that will offer you a strong foundation of knowledge on the world of wine! All wine growing regions are included with important producers you should know and grape varietals. A must have for every sommelier or enthusiast.

5

Oct 15, 2018

Terrific writing. She keeps it colorful and funny while also taking the subject seriously. The perfect book for someone new to wine but beyond the basics and seriously interested in learning about wine around the world.

5

Feb 03, 2019

Excellent book. Great balance of fact, science and anecdotal text. It is a book that will be referenced many times through the year.

I would recommend this book to someone who is learning about wine, or wishes to achieve a greater understanding of the world on wine.

5

Apr 25, 2019

A MUST READ for anyone interested in learning about wine. The amount of pages may be enormous, but it's full of maps, producer recommendations, photos, and a glossary alongside the usual history and wine styles across the world.

Karen, thank you so much for writing this book. Your engaging and entertaining writing style helped me pass the Certified Sommelier exam.

5

Apr 17, 2018

The author did an incredibly thorough job of researching this book. She traveled extensively, seemed to have enjoyed herself, while tasting some of the best wines in the world. I have never seen a wine book packed with so much information. Her style is fun, and informative. This is truly a one-stop shop for everything you ever wanted to know about wine but were afraid to ask! A must-have book for the wine connoisseurs library.