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Rating: 
Summary: Great for French but weak for New World
Review: A handy, entertaining read with excellent coverage of French wines and good coverage of the rest of traditional Europe (mostly German, Italian and Spanish). Unfortunately, New World coverage paled in comparison (60pgs for USA, Australia, NZ, South America AND South Africa compared to 180pgs for Europe!). This was a serious deficit as it is precisely in the exciting and confusing new world of wine that amateurs like myself need the sharp eye (palette, rather?) of experienced tasters.Still, a great read -- balanced viewpoint (i.e. not egocentric), succinct writing, well-organised, easy to use, and full of enthusiasm for the subject. Has a healthy respect for humbler wines that is lacking in other publications; a timely reminder that wine is to be enjoyed in all dimensions and not just an excuse to be poncey. Definitely worth buying.
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Summary: Unsurpassed reference!
Review: Being a recent inductee into the wine lover's hall of study, there haven't been many books on wine I haven't studied or browsed. Most of them regurgitate unoriginal thought. I found Johnson's encyclopedia both very entertaining and extensive in it's coverage. I also found his recommendations to be spot on! When was the last time you could say that about a reference book author? Needless to say, this excellent piece of work will be a constant companion in my wine store excursions!
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Summary: My opinion
Review: Handy little book for those occasions when you are at the wine store or restaurant and not sure which one to choose. I like it a lot.
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Summary: All you need to know about judging a wine before you buy.
Review: Hugh Johnson's book is the most objective, accurate, complete and concise evaluation of wine, by both winery and vintage year, that is currently available to wine lovers anywhere. This book is a must have. If a wine is not listed here, then it is probably not worth knowing about. The book comments on the quality and value of every important wine still available to consumers. The most amazing feature of this little book is that all this valuable information can be carried in one's pocket. I find that I refer to it more often than all my many other wine guides put together. It is easy to read, well organized and I have found all of its recommendations to be very objective. If it says that a wine will be good, it always is. If it states a particular wine represents a good value then it always does. If you are a wine novice and need someone to point you in the right direction no matter what your individual preferences may be, then Hugh Johnson is the man to read.
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Summary: Take to the store or the restaurant
Review: I have had four editions of this book and it is very concise guide to selecting wines. Ratings identify best values (shaded stars) and Johnson includes advice on when a specific vintage is "a point" (ready to drink). He is at his best with French wines and one chapter focuses exclusively on Bordeaux. One fault: the review of California wines is not very comprehensive. The simple rating system of one to four stars is realistic and leaves room for your own judgment. I recommend this book.
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Summary: book in spanish
Review: I'm sorry to use this space, but does anyone know where I could buy this book written in Spanish. Please send me an e-mail to cmgarza@alfa.com.mx Thank you very much.
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Summary: Wherever I go, it goes!
Review: The "Mini-Johnson" as I like to call it, has been a companion on all my travels for many years. Countless are the hours spent reading it, in airports, on train-stations and other equally boring places, waiting to get to my destination. The Mini-Johnson never fails to entertain, and there was a time in the late 80`s when I thought I knew all his listed chateaux in Bordeaux by heart. I didn`t. The emergence of Amazon.co.uk has greatly helped non-UK residents to get hold of wine related books fast and reasonably priced. The "Mini-Johnson" came on our market several months after it was published in the UK, and the Norwegian translation almost a year thereafter! Praise to both Johnson and Amazon. Keep up the good work!
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Summary: Powerhouse book
Review: This is my secret weapon. It's saved my skin many times when I've been asked to recommend a wine for that special occasion. It's also a great help when perusing wines in the grocery store, or, if you're slick enough, to secretly review your favorite restaurant's wine list. Any way you cut it, it's the best pocket reference I've seen. No, it doesn't cover every wine in the world, and no book can (boutique wines pop up too fast) but it'll get you through 95% of your wine hunt. I've been buying them for 12+ years. Very, very good stuff.
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Summary: excellent and reliable advice
Review: When you follow the excellent advice in this wine guide, you quickly realize why this pocket book sells over 400,000 times a year - it is just indispensable for choosing the right wine of the right vintage for the right occasion. Although the book carries only the name of famous British wine expert Hugh Johnson on the cover, recommendations also come from a total of 59 other wine experts, such as, e.g., Christie's Michael Broadbend or Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm. This makes this book so reliable in its advice for enjoyable good wine. And it is always a nice little gift for people who appreciate an excellent bottle of wine as well.
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