Recommended Books for Aspiring Vinhounds
There exists an entire library's worth of wine writing, covering everything from winemaking, the science of fermentation, wine regions, regions within regions -- the list goes on indefinitely. While it can all make for some great reading, there are some books that are especially accessible for folks who are new to wine, and make for the beginnings of a good bookshelf. In this post, we're going to cover some of those books and tell you why we love them, to encourage you to buy -- or borrow -- them the first chance you get.
Windows on the World Complete Wine Course (Kevin Zraly)
This is one of my absolute favorite wine books. In it, Zraly gives a very gentle yet thorough description of the major wine-making regions of the world, and ends each chapter with suggested tastings to allow the reader to discover the differences between styles and varietals themselves. Not just fun, but also educational, this is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about wine.
Wine Folly (Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack)
As a design nerd of a software engineer in my day-to-day life, I love this book. The graphics are beautiful and and communicate so much, and the knowledge they impart is great for wine beginners. The individual sections devoted to breaking down aroma and flavor profiles for grape varietals and blends are wonderful, and the maps give a good sense of place for the covered wine-making regions.
Cork Dork (Bianca Bosker)
This book really isn't technical, at all -- you won't find maps of France, and you won't find tasting notes for blends and varietals. Instead, you'll find a fascinating and hard to stop reading story about someone who quit their job at the Huffington Post and charged full-on into the wine industry. Cork Dork is well-written, funny, and offers a great look into the highest and most obsessive levels of the wine world.
The Wine Bible (Karen MacNeil)
I love this book. I can read it by the pool, I can read it in bed, I can read it on the train to work -- it covers so much information about winemaking, wine tasting, wine regions in such an easy-to-read format, that it's indispensable. It can be hard to imagine this type and level of knowledge being an engaging read, but MacNeil pulls it off, and this book is an essential part of the beginner's bookshelf.
The World Atlas of Wine (Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson)
The maps in this book, they are beautiful. I love them so much, and they have an extraordinary amount of detail. Along with maps, the books also includes a fair amount of general wine information: details on how to taste, an overview of how wine is made, and the such. But the value is in the large and detailed maps this book provides -- as you may have guessed by the word atlas in the title. Just picking this book up and paging through it is a treat, and it should be on your bookshelf.
Adventures on the Wine Route (Kermit Lynch)
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drink your way through France? In a (mostly) classy way? This is your book. Like Cork Dork, this isn't a technical book, but it tells a human story about wine, and is a must-read.