Best of
Wine

2002

Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy


Joseph Bastianich - 2002
    More recently, expensive “Super Tuscans” have been the rage. But between these extremes lay a bounty of delicious, moderately priced wines that belong in every wine drinker’s repertoire.Vino Italiano is the only comprehensive and authoritative American guide to the wines of Italy. It surveys the country’s wine-producing regions; identifies key wine styles, producers, and vintages; and offers delicious regional recipes. Extensive reference materials—on Italy’s 300 growing zones, 361 authorized grape varieties, and 200 of the top producers— provide essential information for restaurateurs and wine merchants, as well as for wine enthusiasts.Beautifully illustrated as well as informative, Vino Italiano is the perfect invitation to the Italian wine experience.

Love by the Glass: Tasting Notes from a Marriage


Dorothy J. Gaiter - 2002
    Gaiter and John Brecher, who have merged their journalism careers with their love of wine. She grew up in the all-black environment of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, and he was raised in Jacksonville, where his was one of a handful of Jewish families. Follow Dottie and John from their June 4, 1973, meeting in the newsroom of The Miami Herald to their first "Open That Bottle Night," which put them on the road to becoming full-time wine columnists. From the Andr� Cold Duck that accompanied their first date to the bottle of Taittinger Champagne smuggled into the delivery room to wet the lips of their newborn second daughter, lovers of books as well as lovers of wine can now join the wine world's favorite couple as they embark on the ultimate quest for the perfect grape.

The New France: A Complete Guide to Contemporary French Wine


Andrew Jefford - 2002
    Author Andrew Jefford has travelled extensively in each of France's fourteen wine regions to investigate the personalities and producers who have masterminded the resurgence of the French wine industry.

The Grape Grower: A Guide to Organic Viticulture


Lon Rombough - 2002
    From the tropics to Alaska, grapes will grow successfully in almost every climate. Whether you raise them for fresh eating, or for making wine, juice, or jellies and preserves, the right grapes will reward you with abundant crops for a modest investment of time and effort.Now for the first time comes a book for grape growers who wish to use organic growing methods to raise healthy, thriving vineyards in the backyard or on a small commercial scale. The Grape Grower distills the broad knowledge and long-time personal experience of Lon Rombough, one of North America's foremost authorities on viticulture.From finding and preparing the right site for your vineyard to training, trellising, and pruning vines to growing new grapes from seeds and cuttings, The Grape Grower offers thorough and accessible information on all the basics. The chapters on grape species, varieties, and hybrids are alone worth the price of a college course in viticulture. Technical information on the major (and minor) insect pests and diseases that affect grapes, as well as their organic controls, makes this book an invaluable reference that readers will turn to again and again.Rombaugh also provides a wealth of information on hardy but little-known grapes that are native to North America, and on a wide range of topics, including:pruning neglected or overgrown vinesgrowing grapes on arbors and in greenhousescontrolling animal pests in the vineyardbunch grapes and muscadine grapes for the Southwinter protection, and how to increase the hardiness of grapescreating your own new varieties

Clueless about Wine


Richard Kitowski - 2002
    The book explains how and where wine is made, what it should taste like, and how to tell the difference between a great but modestly priced wine and an expensive but disappointing one.Illustrations, sidebars, maps, lists and "did you knows" make Clueless About Wine a pleasure to read. There's also a handy WineSpeak glossary and numerous quick-glance charts on pairings.Here is a sampling of what the book covers:The most basic questions about wine The winemaking process The characteristics of various wine types and regions How to read labels Opening and decanting a bottle, and which glass to use Storing wine and buying for special occasions. Of value for those with some wine knowledge as well as for neophytes, Clueless About Wine simplifies the mystique of confusing technology and shows how easy and enjoyable it is to choose and enjoy wine with confidence.

Great Tastes Made Simple: Extraordinary Food and Wine Pairing for Every Palate


Andrea Immer - 2002
    But, in her trademark accessible style, Andrea Immer now takes the mystery out of choosing wine for food–and vice versa. Great Tastes Made Simple unlocks the secrets of basic food tastes–sweet, earthy, savory, buttery, tart, and spicy–and their particular wine affinities. Giving even ordinary meals extraordinary flavor, Immer shows readers how to bring the flavor alchemy of wine to everyday fare from burgers (with Zinfandel) to macaroni and cheese (with Rioja Crianza). She calls Pinot Grigio her “tuna helper” and likes barbecued brisket with Valpolicella. There’s also plenty of more sophisticated eating, including smoked salmon and Riesling; asparagus hollandaise and Champagne; wild mushroom risotto and California Pinot Noir, to name a few upscale matches. In fact, there isn’t a food or category of food–including a panoply of cheeses, ethnic foods, and desserts–for which Immer doesn’t provide a match and the reasons why they work so well. Chart of mouthwatering pairings and an easy-to-use index make finding wonderful wine and food combinations a snap.Zeroing in on “wine-loving food”–those flavors, textures, and cooking techniques that truly dazzle when paired with wine–Immer demonstrates how to get the maximum enjoyment out of every food and wine encounter. A selection of twenty recipes–Low Country Shrimp and Grits (think Chardonnay), Beet Risotto (Pinot Noir), Short Rib Ragù (brawny reds), and Warm Chocolate Torte (Madeira)–provides delicious examples of wine-loving dishes and cooking techniques that will become part of every wine-loving cook’s repertoire. Invaluable in restaurant settings and at home, this innovative guide can make every meal a cause for celebration.

Michael Broadbent's Vintage Wine


J.M. Broadbent - 2002
    Michael Broadbent quite possibly knows more about fine, old wines than anyone else alive, and he writes about them with unparalleled expertise. Hired by Christie's in 1966 to revive their wine auctions, Broadbent threw himself into his work, searching out great collections of the world's finest wine--and keeping meticulous tasting notes. Here are evocations of Chateau d'Yquem from 1784--one of Thomas Jefferson's favorites--and hundreds of vintages and thousands of wines right up to the present. Years of "cellars visited and pillaged, involving the checking and packing of dust- and grime-laden bottles in distinctly dank and chilly conditions," jet-set auctions around the world, legendary tastings and society events, have all helped to create an unrivalled store of vinous anecdotes as well as an unsurpassed wine-tasting history.EXCERPTFrom a tasting of 1784 Chateau Yquem:"The most renowned vintage of the late 18th century and well-documented thanks mainly to the original copies of the letters and orders of Thomas Jefferson. . . . Jefferson did not trust wine merchants and insisted on bottling at the chateau. . . . The wine has a warm mahogany-amber colour with a pronounced yellow-green rim. Initially, the nose, unsurprisingly, was creakingly old but after fifteen minutes settled down to reveal a remarkably rich, tangy, honeyed scent."

Wine Encyclopedia: 100 Regions, 2,000 Producers, 4,000 Wines


Patrick Farrell - 2002
    This sourcebook lists 4,000 individual wines from 100 wine-growing regions throughout the world and discusses flavor/bouquet, complementary foods, and price range for each. The book also features full-color maps, photos of varietal grapes and key wineries, descriptions of winemaking processes and specific styles, and tips for choosing and serving wine, making it an indispensable resource for wine novices and connoisseurs alike.