Best of
Wine

2014

Sherry: A Modern Guide to the Wine World's Best-Kept Secret, with Cocktails and Recipes


Talia Baiocchi - 2014
    For centuries, sherry was considered one of the world’s great wines, spoken about in the same reverential terms as the finest Bordeaux and Burgundies. But in the last few decades, sherry lost its way—and cheap, cloyingly sweet blends sullied the reputation of what remains one of Spain’s oldest and greatest winemaking traditions.   Thankfully, sherry is in the midst of a renaissance. Beloved of sommeliers and bartenders in the craft cocktail community, today sherry is being re-discovered and re-appreciated as an incredible table wine and essential component of many classic cocktails.  Sherry is essential reading for wine or spirits professionals looking to incorporate this complex wine into their menu, and for adventurous drink enthusiasts who are on the hunt for something unexpected. With a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the different styles of sherry, how they are made, and the people and places that produce it, Sherry demystifies what can be a confusing (and seemingly contradictory) wine. A thorough buyer’s guide lists top producers and profiles the very best bodegas and wines. And a whole chapter on sherry-based cocktails illuminates a completely different side of sherry, featuring classic recipes like the Tuxedo and Sherry Cobbler, as well as modern creations from the country’s top bartenders (Jim Meehan’s East India Negroni, Derek Brown’s Kojo Cocktail). More than a dozen recipes for tapas and other delicious foods—best eaten alongside a glass of sherry, of course—round out this wonderfully eclectic, engaging, and inspiring collection.

Barolo and Barbaresco: The King and Queen of Italian Wine


Kerin O’Keefe - 2014
    In this groundbreaking new book, O’Keefe gives a comprehensive overview of the stunning side-by-side growing areas of these two world-class wines that are separated only by the city of Alba and profiles a number of the fiercely individualistic winemakers who create structured yet elegant and complex wines of remarkable depth from Italy’s most noble grape, Nebbiolo. A masterful narrator of the aristocratic origins of winemaking in this region, O’Keefe gives readers a clear picture of why Barolo is called both the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings. Profiles of key Barolo and Barbaresco villages include fascinating stories of the families, wine producers, and idiosyncratic personalities that have shaped the area and its wines and helped ignite the Quality Wine Revolution that eventually swept through all of Italy. The book also considers practical factors impacting winemaking in this region, including climate change, destructive use of harsh chemicals in the vineyards versus the gentler treatments used for centuries, the various schools of thought regarding vinification and aging, and expansion and zoning of vineyard areas. Readers will also appreciate a helpful vintage guide to Barolo and Barbaresco and a glossary of useful Italian wine terms.

Wine A Tasting Course: Every Class in a Glass


Marnie Old - 2014
    Discover which wines you like and why, read about the journey from grape to glass, and build on your understanding with vibrant infographics in this fresh take on the world of wine.Easy to understand and jargon-free, this no-nonsense book will help you to appreciate talking, tasting, and enjoying wine in everyday life. Explore red wines and white, and those all-important food and wine pairings, then get to grips with grape varieties and regions. Drink alongside your discoveries with fun wine tasting tests that cover wines from all over the world and learn key wine facts in "Did you know" boxes.Wine: A Tasting Course is perfect for anyone looking for a practical guide to wine tasting that focuses on enjoying and understanding wine for yourself, rather than for others.

Native Wine Grapes of Italy


Ian D'agata - 2014
    This diversity is reflected in the fact that Italy grows the largest number of native wine grapes known, amounting to more than a quarter of the world’s commercial wine grape types. Ian D’Agata spent thirteen years interviewing producers, walking vineyards, studying available research, and tasting wines to create this authoritative guide to Italy’s native grapes and their wines. Writing with great enthusiasm and deep knowledge, D’Agata discusses more than five hundred different native Italian grape varieties, from Aglianico to Zibibbo. D’Agata provides details about how wine grapes are identified and classified, what clones are available, which soils are ideal, and what genetic evidence tells us about a variety’s parentage. He gives historical and anecdotal accounts of each grape variety and describes the characteristics of wines made from the grape. A regional list of varieties and a list of the best producers provide additional guidance. Comprehensive, thoroughly researched, and engaging, this book is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to know more about the vast enological treasures cultivated in Italy.

The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass


Jamie Goode - 2014
    Fortunately Jamie Goode’s The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass explains some of the terms that critics toss around. . . . Mr. Goode manages to make then lively and provocative.”—Eric Asimov, New York Times A thoroughly revised and updated Second Edition of this essential and groundbreaking reference gives a comprehensive overview of one of the most fascinating, important, and controversial trends in the world of wine: the scientific and technological innovations that are now influencing how grapes are grown and how wine is made. Jamie Goode, a widely respected authority on wine science, details the key scientific developments relating to viticulture and enology, explains the practical application of science to techniques that are used around the world, and explores how these issues are affecting the quality, flavor, and perception of wine. The only complete and accessibly written resource available on the subject, The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass engagingly discusses a wide range of topics including terroir, biodynamics, the production of “natural” or manipulation-free wines, the potential effect of climate change on grape growing, the health benefits of wine, and much more. A must-have reference for a wide audience of students, winemakers, wine professionals, and general readers interested in the science of wine. The Second Edition features: * A fresh new design with 100 color illustrations throughout * Discussions of some of the most hotly debated issues including genetically modified grapevines, sulphur dioxide, the future of cork, and wine flavor chemistry * New chapters on soils and vines, the science of grape varieties, oxygen management and wine quality, red wine production techniques, and the role of language to describe the subtleties of taste

The Concise Guide to Wine & Blind Tasting


Neel Burton - 2014
    It outlines a simple yet robust framework for analyzing wine as objectively as possible, and provides all the background knowledge that you need to interpret your findings, covering everything from grape varieties and vineyard management to winemaking techniques and the world's most important wine styles. It seeks throughout to examine in what ways a particular wine is unique and different from other, similar wines. For example, why and in what ways is Pauillac, in Bordeaux, different from Pomerol, also in Bordeaux? Why and in what ways is Mosel Riesling different from Riesling from the Rheingau, or the Nahe, or Alsace, Austria, or Australia? This book is dedicated to all wine lovers, and should prove particularly useful to amateur and competitive blind tasters, students on higher-level wine courses, sommeliers, and anyone else who buys, sells, or recommends wine.  "A rigorous, highly focused, well-honed bootcamp manual (Bible might be a better word) for the likes of WSET diploma students, MW students, Master Sommelier students, and anyone else who thinks that blind tasting competitions are a riot." Tamlyn Currin for JancisRobinson.com

Wine Science: The Application of Science in Winemaking


Jamie Goode - 2014
    Jamie Goode, a highly regarded expert on the subject, skilfully opens up this complex subject and explains the background to the various processes involved and the range of issues surrounding their uses. He reports on the vital progress in winemaking research that has been made in the last decade and explains the practical application of science with reference to the range of winemaking techniques used around the world, as well as viticultural practices, organics and ecology, and lifestyle influences. Written in a uniquely accessible style, the book is divided into three sections covering the vineyard, the winery and human interaction with wine. It also features over 80 illustrations and photographs to help make even the most complex topics clear, straightforward and easy to understand.

Wine Atlas of Germany


Dieter Braatz - 2014
    The authors explain the geography of all the German wine-growing regions and provide independent analysis and ranking of the most significant vineyards in each region. In addressing the growing American appreciation of German wines, the atlas pays in-depth attention to Rieslings from the Mosel and other premier regions while also acquainting readers with wines from less familiar areas such as the Ahr, Baden, the Taubertal, and Franconia. Beautifully produced, with helpful sidebars and succinct essays, this book will become the standard reference on the subject.

The Great Lobster Cookbook: More than 100 recipes to cook at home


Matt Dean Pettit - 2014
     From Matt Dean Pettit, chef and owner of Rock Lobster Food Co., comes a collection of more than 100 simple and delicious lobster recipes showing how fun, easy, and stress-free cooking with lobster can be. A lobster lover since he was a little boy, Matt Dean Pettit started Rock Lobster Food Co. after an eye-opening experience on the East Coast. He had eaten lobster everywhere he could find it, from fresh-off-the-dock to dive bars, and was left wondering why lobster could be so readily available (and so reasonably priced) at the source but reserved for high-end restaurants across the rest of the country. He pledged then and there to bring lobster to the masses.  The Great Lobster Cookbook includes more than 100 of Matt’s best recipes—from the famous Rock Lobster Roll and the Classic Lobster Boil to Lobster Eggs Benny, Lobster Poutine, and even a mouthwatering recipe for Vanilla Bean Lobster Ice Cream. Star chefs, such as Mark McEwan and Roger Mooking, also share their favorite lobster dishes.  With easy-to-follow recipes, notes on lobster anatomy, and basic cooking techniques, Matt demystifies the lobster, highlighting its versatility and taking readers on a cross-country journey into its world, from claw to tail.   A new cookbook classic for every lobster lover, The Great Lobster Cookbook shows that lobster doesn’t need to be reserved for special occasions. Join the Crustacean Nation and get cracking.

Saving Our Skins: Building a Vineyard Dream in France


Caro Feely - 2014
    gorgeous glitter with a high price tag. On a winter’s day it is beautiful, but on a spring day after bud burst it spells devastation. For Sean and Caro Feely, a couple whose love affair with wine and France has taken them through financial and physical struggle to create their organic vineyard, it could spell the end. Until they receive an unexpected call that could save their skins… This book is about life, love and taking risks, while transforming a piece of land into a flourishing vineyard and making a new life in France.

Natural Wine: An introduction to organic and biodynamic wines made naturally


Isabelle Legeron - 2014
    Isabelle Legeron MW is leading the campaign for natural wine – wine made as nature intended. There is no official description of natural wine, but a rough definition is that it is made from grapes that are farmed organically or biodynamically and harvested manually, and that the wine should ideally be made without adding or removing anything during the vinification process. It is basically good old-fashioned grape juice fermented into wine, just as nature intended. Isabelle is a crusader for the natural wine movement: she has her own show on the Travel Channel, organizes a hugely successful annual natural wine festival (RAW), and acts as adviser to several leading restaurants. Just as the craft beer movement has taken off across the globe, the demand for natural wine is growing and will continue to do so.

Spirits Distilled: With Cocktails Mixed by Michael Butt


Mark Ridgwell - 2014
    The third edition of Spirits distilled, by Mark Ridgwell, is a comprehensive guide to all of the major spirits categories. Taking the reader through the principles of distillation to an explanation on how to taste spirits, Ridgwell reveals the history and legends behind vodka, gin, tequila, genever, rum, brandies, liqueurs, eaux-de-vie, flavoured white spirits and the entire range of whiskies. Lovers of spirits will find this book to be an invaluable resource for understanding and appreciating the world of spirits from a qualitative rather than quantitative perspective. Professionals too will find the quizzes in Spirits distilled a particularly useful tool for understanding better the spirits they sell. This edition of Spirits distilled contains a new chapter on cocktails by drinks consultant Michael Butt, with a section at the end of each spirit chapter detailing the best cocktails featuring that spirit. An essential book that belongs on the reference shelf of everyone who works with or enjoys spirits, Spirits distilled is a classic in the making.

Minnesota Wineries


Dick Osgood - 2014
    Their winery profiles paint a rich tapestry of vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms, as defined by the owner/operators who pour their passion into the quest for great wine and engaging tasting experiences. A must-buy book for exploring the Minnesota wine scene. Mike McBrady, Owner, Crow River Winery"

The Beer Book.co.za


Holger Meier - 2014
    70 plus free craft beers at breweries in South Africa. 501 Photos of bottled beers. 101 local breweries.A guide to 78 Breweries that welcome visitors in South Africa.Record and rate the beers you taste!Free beers or tasters at selected BreweriesLearn to Drink "in Style"Drink Your Way Around The World - discover beers from 27 CountriesIncludes a list of the local pubs and bottle stores that stock some of these fine beers.Register this book and join the Ale Trail!

The Naked Sommelier


Claire Doyle - 2014
    Naked. Organic. Laura McLove goes back to school. Spiritual school. She lures Leon - a hot, young, French natural wine expert - with the law of attraction and together they go on the road - Leon in pursuit of wine, Laura in pursuit of him.A "Natural Wine" noir, for lovers of the movie 'Sideways', and writers Bukowski And Fante.

Wines & Spirit Looking Behind The Label


Wine & Spirit Education Trsut - 2014
    For WSET Level 2; A study guide

Jura Wine: With Local Food and Travel Tips


Wink Lorch - 2014
    . . I did not join Wink [on her travels] but this book does the trick – I feel as if I am there, at her side in the Jura.’ Raymond Blanc OBE ‘At her Jura master class Wink conveyed with great ease and remarkable precision her huge enthusiasm and deep knowledge of the Jura wine region.’ Gerard Basset OBE, MS, MW ‘My fellow wine writer Wink Lorch will surely have well-deserved success with her forthcoming crowd-funded book on Jura wine.’ Jancis Robinson OBE, MW Inside sleeve At last, a book that uncovers the secrets of the fascinating wines of the gorgeous Jura region in eastern France. Author Wink Lorch, who has been writing about these wines for over a decade, offers technical discussions on the wines, an insight into the region’s history and shares the untold stories of over 90 wine producers, from the smallest to the largest. The myriad styles of Jura wines have caught the imagination of sommeliers and wine lovers around the world, yet until now there has never been a book about the region in English. Wink puts the spotlight on the curious grapes, interesting terroir and fascinating people who come together to produce these wines and shows how and why the wine styles have developed over the years. You will discover which wines are the ones to select from each producer. This is primarily a book on the wines of the Jura, but you will also find out about the delicious regional cheeses, including Comté, the sausages and the other tasty local foods and drinks. To help you plan a visit to the region there are tips on where to stay, eat, shop and visit. This book is the ultimate insider’s guide to the Jura wine region and is an essential addition to the library of wine professionals and wine lovers alike. Principal photographer, Mick Rock of Cephas Picture Library hasbeen photographing the world of wine for over 25 years. Having visited the Jura wine region several times in preceding years, Mick spent ten days in the region with Wink on a photo shoot for the book, visiting over 25 producers and many more vineyards. Mick’s photography can be viewed at cephas.com.

Wines of California: The Comprehensive Guide


Mike DeSimone - 2014
    "World Wine Guys" Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen have created the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of the state's myriad wine-growing regions, including detailed listings of outstanding producers with individual tasting notes. Enjoy winery profiles with tasting notes, winemaker interviews, recipe and food pairings, and photos of all, including wine labels. In addition, there's a foreword by Michael Mondavi and a preface by Kevin Zraly—two of the most powerful names in wine today.

Madeira: The Mid-Atlantic Wine


Alexander Liddell - 2014
    Capable of evolution over decades and with seemingly indefinite longevity, precious centenarian bottles are sought by wine connoisseurs world wide, but to the ordinary wine lover more commercial wines offer a wide range of delicious and varied drinking. Once dismissed as a cooking wine, discriminating drinkers enjoy it on its own and, increasingly, as an accompaniment to food. Over a million tourists visit this small island every year, and expanding export markets indicate that the recent revival of interest in madeira continues to gain strength.This book, originally published in 1998, was short-listed for the André Simon Award and quickly established itself as a wine classic. Alexander Liddell, recognised as the leading authority on madeira, has known the island and its wine for over forty years, and this completely revised new edition brings matters up to date.