Red Wine for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: Great Intro - but tune those olefactory senses
Review: As a complete beginner to the subject of red wine this is a great yet simple introduction to the major red wine and grape types. There is no bias evident in the authors assessment and there is good guidance to the best value wines. The only downside is the somewhat superior references to the various scents found in the wines. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Great Intro - but tune those olefactory senses
Review: As a complete beginner to the subject of red wine this is a great yet simple introduction to the major red wine and grape types. There is no bias evident in the authors assessment and there is good guidance to the best value wines. The only downside is the somewhat superior references to the various scents found in the wines. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Easy to understand, complete in its coverage
Review: As I wrote in a previous review of The Sommelier's Guide to Wine, I am just beginning my introduction to the fascinating world of wine. While the former book has been invaluable, so has this - Red Wine for Dummies.

As always, the language is very accessible and the subject material easy to understand, even when some of the more difficult or intimidating aspects of wine are discussed (such as when and why to decant, picking a wine, a guide to wine terms, etc.)

The descriptions of the grapes themselves are marvelous. For example, here is the description for a Zinfandel (yes, Zinfandel is a red grape - White Zinfandel [all apologies to those who like it] is a wine made by ruining the grape): "The Zinfandel grape gives good color to the red wines made from it, along with bramble-berry fruit flavors and aromas and a spicy character. The intensity of the wine varies according to where grapes grew and how old the vines are; some very old (80 to 100 years) vineyards make wines that are full bodied and dense with flavor. More typically, Zinfandel makes wines that are medium bodied, with succulent fruit and medium tannin." Sure there are descriptions in fancy wine magazines that are more complete, but chances are you wouldn't have the slightest idea what they're talking about.

This book also covers regions where wines are made, climates, soil, and everything that goes into producing a good red wine. It's a superb book for a beginner.



Rating:
Summary: You get what you pay for
Review: I must start by saying that I am a snob. I am also a lover of wines of all types. But I am NOT a "Wine Snob." I am not impressed by fancy talk, great names or, especially, high price tags. That being said, I think this book has a LOT of good information in it, but anyone who buys this book is selling themselves short, and a good many people will outgrow this volume in short order. Wine can be a "Highbrow" and intimidating subject, but that veneer has been eroding steadily over the past few decades as the Wine industry has been trying to increase its market share vis a vis beer, and the supply-side of the market has expanded exponentially. The fact is, wine is easy to enjoy and simple to understand at its basics,and the wine snobs of old have known this for quite some time. Great wines are affordable by most these days, availability is better than it has EVER been, and information about wines is practically dripping off each bottle. All of the info you need to understand the wine world is included in the "Big name" wine books these days, and it is as accessible as ever. I would recommend spending a bit more money for a new or used copy of the wine atlases of Oz Clarke or Hugh Johnson, (check online auctions)and every couple of years purchase a buying guide by the same authors. You will have much more information for the money, it will serve you longer, and you don't have to identify yourself as a "Dummy." Frankly, I think the term is relative and ought not be self applied. At any rate, you shouldn't be paying someone else to lable yourself as such, regardless of how well the moniker fits.

Rating:
Summary: You get what you pay for
Review: I must start by saying that I am a snob. I am also a lover of wines of all types. But I am NOT a "Wine Snob." I am not impressed by fancy talk, great names or, especially, high price tags. That being said, I think this book has a LOT of good information in it, but anyone who buys this book is selling themselves short, and a good many people will outgrow this volume in short order. Wine can be a "Highbrow" and intimidating subject, but that veneer has been eroding steadily over the past few decades as the Wine industry has been trying to increase its market share vis a vis beer, and the supply-side of the market has expanded exponentially. The fact is, wine is easy to enjoy and simple to understand at its basics,and the wine snobs of old have known this for quite some time. Great wines are affordable by most these days, availability is better than it has EVER been, and information about wines is practically dripping off each bottle. All of the info you need to understand the wine world is included in the "Big name" wine books these days, and it is as accessible as ever. I would recommend spending a bit more money for a new or used copy of the wine atlases of Oz Clarke or Hugh Johnson, (check online auctions)and every couple of years purchase a buying guide by the same authors. You will have much more information for the money, it will serve you longer, and you don't have to identify yourself as a "Dummy." Frankly, I think the term is relative and ought not be self applied. At any rate, you shouldn't be paying someone else to lable yourself as such, regardless of how well the moniker fits.

Rating:
Summary: You get what you pay for
Review: I must start by saying that I am a snob. I am also a lover of wines of all types. But I am NOT a "Wine Snob." I am not impressed by fancy talk, great names or, especially, high price tags. That being said, I think this book has a LOT of good information in it, but anyone who buys this book is selling themselves short, and a good many people will outgrow this volume in short order. Wine can be a "Highbrow" and intimidating subject, but that veneer has been eroding steadily over the past few decades as the Wine industry has been trying to increase its market share vis a vis beer, and the supply-side of the market has expanded exponentially. The fact is, wine is easy to enjoy and simple to understand at its basics,and the wine snobs of old have known this for quite some time. Great wines are affordable by most these days, availability is better than it has EVER been, and information about wines is practically dripping off each bottle. All of the info you need to understand the wine world is included in the "Big name" wine books these days, and it is as accessible as ever. I would recommend spending a bit more money for a new or used copy of the wine atlases of Oz Clarke or Hugh Johnson, (check online auctions)and every couple of years purchase a buying guide by the same authors. You will have much more information for the money, it will serve you longer, and you don't have to identify yourself as a "Dummy." Frankly, I think the term is relative and ought not be self applied. At any rate, you shouldn't be paying someone else to lable yourself as such, regardless of how well the moniker fits.

Rating:
Summary: Easy and logical to follow
Review: Liked the presentaion of the information - like most of the Dummy series, the book is well researched and useful even as a quick reference or to read through cover to cover.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent guide for beginners
Review: This is one of the few wine books I've come across that goes out to the reader in plain everyday English. It does certainly make a complex subject a lot more approachable. A good introduction to red wine that answers the questions you were afraid to ask for fear of seeming to be ignorant. Read this before you go out and buy your first bottle of red wine and you'll enjoy it better!!

Rating:
Summary: Great Guide for the beginner
Review: Tired of the fact that you can't get straightforward answers to the questions that beginners have? This is the book for you. The authors don't pretend to be exhaustive, but rather they provide an overview that can impart a significant amount of material quickly and understandably.

Rating:
Summary: Great Guide for the beginner
Review: Tired of the fact that you can't get straightforward answers to the questions that beginners have? This is the book for you. The authors don't pretend to be exhaustive, but rather they provide an overview that can impart a significant amount of material quickly and understandably.