Michael Cooper's Buyer's Guide to New Zealand Wines

Expectations were hign after having bought & used James Halliday's combined AU/NZ Wine Companion for some years and I must say, I wasn't disappointed... A whopping 500 pages on NZ alone, pocketsized (you'll need a big pocket !) with a somewhat different, but still useable index. The book is organised in grape varietals, so you have to know what you are looking for, from that point of view. With each grape, firstly a short (1 page) talk about that specific grape variety and following this, it's indexed alphabetically (producer name) which means that - if you're searching on a specifik producer - you will have to look for a him/her under various grapes. A different angle to indexing but acceptable.. A few words on the winegrower, followed by a sharp and precise description of that particular grape. Most recent vintages are also rated, together with an indication of drinkability (when and for how long). Writing style is no-nonsense and 'cut to the bone'.. Local prices are given too (to give you an indication of pricelevel) The book opens with a refreshingly short intro (no lengthy Parker intro) with a 2007 vintage report, best buys of the year...and the straight into the details. The wineries are indeed indexed in the end, so no problems with finding everything about the individual growers. No labels...but I'm afraid the book would have triplicated in size, then - and the size is acceptable, even as a pocket-/travellers-book. All in all : a book packed with (relevant) information - a MUST for anyone who wine-travels in NZ or just wants the right encyclopedia on NZ wines..