Wine Books - Page 5

The Joy of Home Wine Making

Terry A. Garey

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Port and sharries, whites, reds, roses and melomels -- make your own wine without owning a vineyard!

If you can follow a simple recipe, you can create delectabletable wines in your own home. It's fun, it's easy-and the resultswill delightfully complement your favorite meals and provide unparalleledpleasure by the glass when friends come calling. You don't have tore-create Bordeaux in your basement to be a successful home vintner-you can make raisin wine and drink it like sherry, or use it to accent yourChinese cooking. Raspberry or apricot wine lend themselves to deliciousdesserts. And if you are interested in more exotic concoctions,rhubarb champagne is the ultimate treat.

The Joy of Home Winemaking is your comprehensive guide to:

• the most up-to-date techniques and equipment
• readily available and affordable ingredients and materials
• aging, bottling, racking, blending, and experimenting
• dozens of original recipes for great-tasting fruit wines,
• spice wines, herb wines, sparkling wines, sherries, liqueurs
• even homemade soda pop!
• a sparkling brief history of winemaking
• helpful illustrations and glossary
• an extensive mail-order resource section

Home Winemaking Step-by-Step

Jon Iverson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Resource Addition 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I added this book to my growing wine making reference collection. As an amateur, I am busy gathering additional knowledge as I hone my winemaking skills. I used the "Raspberry Liquor" recipe to spruce up a batch of very dry and unsweetened Raspberry wine for my annual holiday wine creation. Good dry semi-sweet result.

Excellent condition and fast delivery! Good seller. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent condition and fast delivery! Good seller. Helpful book and very easy to read.

Editorial Review:

Written expressly for beginning and advanced amateurs, this guide explores home winemaking in practical terms, focusing on the latest fermentation techniques of both red and white wine grapes. Detailed information on equipment, supplies, and mistakes to avoid will make getting started easy. Advanced winemakers will appreciate full explanations of sophisticated topics such as malolactic fermentation, extended maceration sparkling wines, and chemical testing. Also included in the new edition is information on the use of oak barrels. Unlike other winemaking manuals, this is devoted entirely to wine made with grapes instead of fruit wines.

The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization

Alice Feiring

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"I want my wines to tell a good story. I want them natural and most of all, like my dear friends, I want them to speak the truth even if we argue,” says Alice Feiring. Join her as she sets off on her one-woman crusade against the tyranny of homogenization, wine consultants, and, of course, the 100-point scoring system of a certain all-powerful wine writer. Traveling through the ancient vineyards of the Loire and Champagne, to Piedmont and Spain, she goes in search of authentic barolo, the last old-style rioja, and the tastiest new terroir-driven champagnes. She reveals just what goes into the average bottle—the reverse osmosis, the yeasts and enzymes, the sawdust and oak chips—and why she doesn’t find much to drink in California. And she introduces rebel winemakers who are embracing old-fashioned techniques and making wines with individuality and soul.

No matter what your palate, travel the wine world with Feiring and you’ll have to ask yourself: What do i really want in my glass?

The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass

Jamie Goode

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

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 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.

* Covers some of the most hotly debated issues including genetically modified grape vines, sulphur dioxide, the future of cork, and wine flavor chemistry
* More than 100 illustrations and photographs make even the most complex topics clear, straightforward, and easy to understand
* Engagingly written for a wide audience of students, winemakers, wine professionals, and general readers interested in the science of wine

Italian Wines 2008 (Italian Wines)

Gambero Rosso

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A bit of a mess and far too much convoluted detail... 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I see the validity of the points of the other reviewer here, but I'll be frank, this book is just not set up well and nor does it have any type of approachability for even the wine professional. If you're looking for any kind of a casual book, this is NOT it. You will have to wade through literally hundreds of pages and indexing (in a horribly small print) to find anything you are looking for or will find useful.

See my FULL review for the 2006 edition of this book if you'd like more examples. I've used both it and the 2008 for very specific things. But in general, I'll never purchase another from this series and will probably have very little reason to use either of them again. They are just not easy to use or approachable.

Absolutely essential for the advanced Italian wine lover 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The eleventh edition of Italian Wines 2008 is a translation of the 21st edition of the Italian version. It is the world's most complete guide to Italian wines. Over 16,000 wines are reviewed, selected by more than 120 tasters.

Wines are rated from one to three bicchieri ("glasses"); a Tre Bicchiere ("three glasses") award is high praise indeed. The book contains an enormous amount of information about each of the producers covered as well as useful appendices about past award winners and how they have aged, the best producers, and increasingly information about wineries that are sensitive to the environment or that seek to use natural or biodynamic methods in producing wine.

The Italian version was a great success from the very first edition. Much of that success came from the close relationship with the Slow Food movement, which is one of the publishers of the series. (The Pleasures of Slow Food: Celebrating Authentic Traditions, Flavors, and Recipes (Slow Food) by Eric Schlosser, Corby Kummer, and Susie Cushner is an excellent introduction to the movement.)

A couple of years ago, Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food Movement, announced that he felt this annual guide had become too commercial and he wanted to replace it with a more wholesome guide in line with the principles on which Slow Food is based. Certainly many of Slow Food's other books have a much more purist focus than the Gambero Rosso wine guide. However, the guides are proven money makers, and the series still continues, despite hot debates about the future. One straw in the wind; the sensitivity to environmental issues has increased in each of the past three issues.

Economics and politics play a major part in the ratings. Wines are rated in "peer groups" so that a Tre Bicchiere from one group might be a much better wine than a Tre Bicchiere from another group. Many readers hate the peer group approach, feel the three glass system lacks the sensitivity of Parker's 100 point system, and bemoan the politics inherent in the awards. (This is Italy after all and the publishers make no apologies for political decisions.)

Whatever the weaknesses in this series, anyone seriously interested in Italian wine simply has to buy each of these volumes. Over time they become an enormous reservoir of information. The more casual wine lover probably should find a simpler, more direct approach to learning about Italian wines. A couple of suggestions might include Vino Italiano Buying Guide - Revised and Updated: The Ultimate Quick Reference to the Great Wines of Italy by Joseph Bastianich or the even more general guide by Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2008: 31st Edition (Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book).


Robert C. Ross 2008

Editorial Review:

A comprehensive guide to the delicious world of Italian wine

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine Basics (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

Tara Q. Thomas

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

have a winetasting party 5 out of 5 stars.
43 of 43 people found this review helpful.

this is a great book for anyone wanting to grasp the basics of wine, not knowing where to start! I feel like the author doesn't talk down to readers who might not know alot about wine already. She explains things thoroughly, so you get involved in chapters, but it's not overwhelming, esp. because of the helpful summary of key info at the end of each chapter. The setups for the winetastings were really helpful when I had a winetasting party, everyone could participate, have fun, and learn something.

Editorial Review:

From Chardonnay to Cabernet, discover the world of wine...

The senior editor of Wine & Spirits magazine helps beginners understand everything about wine from the process to popular varieties, from tips for tasting to advice on buying, and more. She also covers world wine regions and offers tips on wine making, storage, etiquette, wine and food pairing, and entertaining.

• Author is a wine expert with contacts throughout the wine world
• The U.S. is the third largest wine-consuming nation in the world and wine consumption in the U.S. has more than doubled in the past 12 years
• Wine books are consistently strong sellers

The New Food Lover's Companion: Comprehensive Definitions of over 3000 Food, Wine, and Culinary Terms (Barron's Cooking Guide)

Sharon Tyler Herbst

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 84 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Cook's Best Friend 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I found this book in the bookstore and thought it would help me with a new job as a cook. Well, it did more then that because it discribes nearly every type of term you could come up with when you cook.

I like how it discribes a particular food item and it's best usage. For example apple: Which are better for baking, eating, and cooking.

There are charts for every conversion possible and tables galor to help you prepare better meals.

I think reading this book has made my cooking at home better because it make me less scared that I might not get the correct taste by using the wrong foods. They even go gover you meat seltion and where they come from. This great for desiding what and how to prepare it.

The good thing about this comprehensive guide, is that there are no recipes with some minor exceptions; like a rux. This is good because it is a guide, not a cookbook.

Enjoy

Editorial Review:

Packed with more than 4,000 terms, including 500 new ones, this newly expanded, A-to-Z guide defines and describes preparation and cooking methods, kitchen utensils, herbs and spices, cuts of meat, types of cheese and sausage, seafood, sauces, foreign food terms, unusual tropical fruits, and even gives basic descriptions of beers, wines, and cocktails.

To Cork or Not To Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science, and the Battle for the Wine Bottle

George M. Taber

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In Judgment of Paris, George M. Taber masterfully chronicled the historic 1976 wine tasting when unknown California wines defeated top French ones, marking a major turning point in wine history. Now he explores the most controversial topic in the world of wine: What product should be used to seal a bottle? Should it be cork, plastic, glass, a screwcap, or some other type of closure still to be invented?

For nearly four centuries virtually every bottle of wine had a cork in it. But starting in the 1970s, a revolution began to topple the cork monopoly. In recent years, the rebellion has been gathering strength. Belatedly, the cork industry began fighting back, while trying to retain its predominant position. Each year 20 billion closures go onto wine bottles, and, increasingly, they are not corks.

The cause of the onslaught against cork is an obscure chemical compound known as TCA. In amounts as low as several parts per trillion, the compound can make a $400 bottle of wine smell like wet newspaper and taste equally bad. Such wine is said to be "corked." While cork's enemies urge people to throw off the old and embrace new closures, millions of wine drinkers around the world are still in love with the romance of the cork and the ceremony of opening a bottle.

With a thorough command of history, science, winemaking, and marketing, Taber examines all sides of the debate. Along the way, he collects a host of great characters and pivotal moments in the production, storage, and consumption of wine, and paints a truly satisfying portrait of a wholly intriguing controversy. As Australian winemaker Brian Croser describes it: "It's scary how passionate people can be on this topic. Prejudice and extreme positions have taken over, and science has often gone out the window."

Cheese & Wine: A Guide to Selecting, Pairing, and Enjoying

Janet Fletcher

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Somewhat decent but lacking overall 3 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Janet Fletcher's "Cheese & Wine," is a decent compendium of the major Western European and American cheeses of the world but is somewhat lacking in basic information to make this is a must-buy. For starters, it is disappointing that only (approximately) half of the 70 cheeses listed in the book are accompained by photographic images. For a book that purports itself to be a good starting point for cheese novices this lack of visual information is a serious mis-cue. Another point that was disappointing was the lack of any pricing info on the assortment of cheeses. Even the most cursory inclusion of the general pricing for each item would have been greatly welcome. That being said the photos that are included are all spectacular and it goes without saying that the overall construction and layout of this tome is extremely well-done and very handsome throughout.

Editorial Review:

From the best-selling author of The Cheese Course comes a new guide to enjoying one of the most basic yet sophisticated culinary delights: cheese and wine. Janet Fletcher leads readers on an international tour of 70 cheeses, exploring the best wine pairings and serving suggestions. From Oregon's autumnal Rogue River Blue to aromatic Brin d'Amour evocative of the Corsican countryside, cheese lovers will savor the range of textures, flavors, and colors. Featuring mouth-watering color photography and detailed, informative text, this collection of cheeses and the wines that go with them will inspire perfect pairings.

The Foods and Wines of Spain

Penelope Casas

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Essential Reference on Spanish Cuisine and Wines 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 19 people found this review helpful.

`The Foods and Wines of Spain' by culinary journalist Penelope Casas was the only comprehensive coverage of Spanish cuisine when it was published at the urging of Craig Claiborne in 1979 and it is probably still the only book in English which aims at covering the entire range of Spanish cuisine. As such, it stands among some of the other notable American books on national cuisines such as Diane Kochilas `The Glorious Foods of Greece', Jean Anderson's smaller book on `The Food of Portugal', Marcella Hazan's `Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' and the granddaddy of them all, Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking'. Casas shares in this tradition by being published by Child's publisher, Knopf, and having the same distinguished cookbook editor, Judith Jones. Since I have never seen an unattractive book published by Alfred E. Knopf, I am certain this book benefits from this association.

Casas organizes her book by types of dishes, using the usual hodgepodge of type meaning when served and type meaning principle ingredient. The fourteen chapters on ingredients / servings are:

`Tapas', slightly misleading, as classic tapas dishes such as the famous `tortilla Espanola' appears under egg dishes. If your primary interest is in Tapas, get Casas recent book devoted entirely to this subject.
`Embutidos, Pasteles Y Empanadas', or sausages pates, and pies is one of the most convincing arguments that this book covers the whole range of Spanish cooking, as it includes doable recipes for making many classic Spanish Charcuterie such as chorizo. It also contains several very nice empanada recipes that show off one of many differences between Spanish and Mexican cooking. In Mexico, judging by a recipe by Rick Bayless, `empanadas' are just a bit larger than raviolis. In Spain, `empanadas' are much more like calzones.
`Ensaladas' Salads, including a claim that it was the Spanish and not the French who invented Mayonnaise.
`Verduras Y Legumbres' Vegetables, showing the importance of potatoes in Spanish cooking. This is historically obvious, as the Spanish brought potatoes along with all the other New World produce back to Europe.
`Sopas Y Potajes' Soups and Meals in a Pot, very similar to the northern Italian love of ministre.
`Huevos Y Tortillas' Eggs and Egg dishes. Evidence that there are many great Spanish frittatas.
`Arroces' Rice dishes, including several types of Paella. `Please use Spanish Rice'
`Mariscos' Shellfish, with as much love of mussels as the French, it seems.
`Pescados' Fish, including several bacalo (dried, salted cod) recipes and fish steaks.
`Aves Y Caza', Poultry and Game, with the usual European love of rabbit, partridge, and other wild things.
`Carnes' Almost a copy of the Italian cuisine with pork, lamb, and veal. Maybe a bit more lamb than Italia.
`Panes, Bollos Y Masas', Breads and Pastries. While I am sure this is not a complete survey of Spanish bread baking, I am just a little surprised that there is no mention of baking with wild yeasts so popular in French and Italian baking. On the other hand, there is the distinction, as in France, between bakeries that specialize in bread and shops that specialize in pastries. While almonds run through all of Spanish cuisine, it is in baking where it comes together with egg whites and puff pastry to form an especially strong affinity with Austrian baking traditions. I am not sure whether this is because these two countries shared interaction with Moorish culture or whether the countries shared the same royal house, the Hapsburgs, for many generations, or a combination of both, but it is little discoveries like this which make culinary anthropology really fascinating.
`Postres' Desserts, sharing the Italian interest in sweetened fruits above most other dishes, plus marzipan and many other almond preparations.
`Bebidas' Sangria, almonds, coffee, citrus, and almonds.

Almost all main course protein dishes include a suggestion pairing the dish with an appropriate Spanish wine. This includes the egg dishes, but not other tapas dishes. The last chapter deals in great depth with the wines of Spain, including the famous Andalusian sherries. Two of the more interesting facts here is the statement that the Italian Marsala is really a form of sherry and that a bottle of sherry may contain wine from grapes harvested over many years. So much for the James Bond quote about giving the vintage of the `underlying wine fortified to create the sherry'. Not only does this chapter give lots of details about regional wine centers; it gives extensive tables of high quality vintage wine and sherry labels and the author's opinion on their quality. Since this book was published in 1979 and not revised since 1982, there may be some question on whether this information on wineries is still valuable. I will venture a guess that it is probably as good as anything else you may find, since the lists are long and most vintners endure, especially since the fortunes of Spanish businesses have improved greatly since the restoration of the Spanish republic after the death of Franco.

Like the recipes in Casas later book on Tapas, I find all the recipes in this volume to be very good, almost as extensive as my favorites from Julia Child and Marcella Hazan. This is a real foodie book, as the discussion of regionality and authenticity of the recipes is a great pleasure to read, even if you never make any of the recipes. It is also great background for understanding the cuisine of Ferran Adria, the great modern Spanish chef working just outside Barcelona. This book also humbled my conceit at criticizing Daniel Boulud's recipe for baby eels. While they may be hard to come by, apparently the Spanish really love them.

Even if you are not a foodie, this is a great source of recipes for eggs, rice, sweet peppers, almonds, lamb, and fish. It is also a great resource if you are not familiar with Spanish wines.

Editorial Review:

400 superb recipes--a delicious gathering of the traditional cooking of Spain with new ways of using exotic seasonings and unusual combinations, plus a comprehensive survey of Spain's excellent wines and sherries.