Category Archives: Book Review

A great read: Karp and Lynch’s ‘The Wine Snob’s Dictionary’

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Bill Ward

I love it when a book reveals a lot about itself on the title page. Actually, this might be the first time that ever happened, there, right under the actual name of the book: “wine snob: reference term for the … Continue reading →

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A great read: Elin McCoy, ‘The Emperor of Wine’

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Bill Ward

Now, with his power apparently on the wane, seems a particularly good time to peruse “The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker Jr. and the Reign of American Taste.” Elin McCoy’s masterful, authoritative biography really gets at what … Continue reading →

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A great read: Don & Petie Kladstrup, ‘Wine & War’

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Bill Ward

One of the things I’ve always really liked about wine aficionados is their other interests. They almost invariably love food and travel (a nice thread since grapes like to grow in beautiful places). They also tend to be well-read and … Continue reading →

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A great read: Steve Heimoff, ‘A Journey Along the Russian River’

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Bill Ward

When I first read Steve Heimoff’s “A Wine Journey Along the Russian River” a half-dozen years ago, I almost quit because he spent so much time at the outset talking about geology. The, er, fault, it turned out, was mine: I … Continue reading →

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A great read/resource: Karen MacNeil, ‘The Wine Bible’

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Bill Ward

It’s easy to find a good, comprehensive guide to wine and all its elements. But Karen MacNeil’s ”The Wine Bible” might stand alone in accessibility and ease of use, allowing anyone wanting to learn more about wine to do it however he or … Continue reading →

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Two great reads: Dornenburg and Page’s pairing books

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Bill Ward

It used to be one of those rote tropes that writers favor, the kind that start with “If you can have only one book about pairing food and beverages … ” And the rest of the story was … Andrew … Continue reading →

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A great read: Benjamin Wallace, ‘The Billionaire’s Vinegar’

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Bill Ward

I don’t know when I’ve had as much fun reading a book as I did with “The Billionaire’s Vinegar.” Of course, it didn’t hurt that I was paging my way through it in Paris and Burgundy, near where some of … Continue reading →

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A great read: Terry Theise, ‘Reading Between the Wines’

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Bill Ward

I’ve written about Terry Theise before, and I will write about him again. What I really wish is that I could write as well as him. I’d been enjoying his annual opuses for the trade on German wine for years, so it … Continue reading →

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A great read: George Taber, ‘Judgment in Paris’

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Bill Ward

The California wine industry owes a lot to George M. Taber. His semi-reluctant decision to attend an obscure U.S. vs. France wine throwdown is the only reason California’s triumph – winning both the cabernet and chardonnay divisions – got any media … Continue reading →

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A great read: Kermit Lynch, ‘Adventures on the Wine Route’

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Bill Ward

It’s been more than a quarter-century since Kermit Lynch wrote “Adventures on a Wine Route.” But this masterwork is dated only in the sense that many of its fascinating subjects have since slipped the surly bonds of Earth. Lynch, blessedly, … Continue reading →

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