Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes

One of the most comprehensive books on wine grapes around. It gets to the heart of the subject: what a wine made from a specific grape should smell and taste like. My copy has been "borrowed" several times from my bookcase....

This is an excellent book, and I'd have to say it's generally better than Jancis Robinson's Vines, Grapes and Wines. Ideally, one would have both; if not, one would have Clarke's Encyclopedia. As another reviewer has noted, Robinson gives more attention to hybrids; this is surely forward-looking, especially given that the material is generally dated. Though most hybrids are indeed horribly yield-obsessed, there are some promising hybrids and crosses out there (not all of the American hybrids are foxy); many get no mention in this book. Yet there aren't many wineries using newer hybrids in the first place, which makes their inclusion (or exclusion) almost a moot point. Nevertheless, Robinson can come across as relatively rigid and conservative in other ways, at least in this superannuated book. Where Clarke, for instance, rightly notes Garnacha's potential, Robinson focuses on its ignoble role in the "wine lake,"-- in Garnacha's case, a particularly alcoholic and highly flammable one. Yet, to be fair, Clarke has time on his side: this is a wonderfully up-to-date book and he's had a lot more time to analyze the frequently obscure potential of what were once relatively obscure grapes. Without comparing the two books directly, this book offers a lot on its own. It's impeccably laid out, with maturity charts, pictures of grapes and enough idyllic vineyard views to inspire anyone's curiosity. The glossary is thorough (a big plus in any reference work) and the appendix even contains Celsius/Farenheit conversion formulae, along with Brix/potential alcohol/sugar content charts. Most importantly, the intro is one of the best short introductions to winemaking principles and practices that I've seen (finally, someone has thought of outlining some of the attributes of different soil types and trellising systems!). The intro to Robinson's book is not even comparable. Clarke's book is ideal for beginning oenophiles: it's concise but just informative enough to offer a good springboard for further reading. And it's an invaluable addition to everyone else's library (even as a more accessibly distilled version of Galet and Meredith's work). Start with Clarke, then pick up Robinson's book. Even though there are one too many references to the 1970s (I'm still waiting to see vinadors in flower-embroidered polyester pants) Robinson's is also a solid book. It's too bad no one updated Vines, Grapes and Wine. Either way, one can't go far wrong.

In comparing this to Jancis Robinson's books on grape varieties, there are some better aspects to it and some worse. On the better side Oz spends several pages describing each major variety like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With detailed maps and a plethora of information on that variety (climate, soil, yields, etc). Where it falls down is the limited amount of grapes (compared to Jancis' books) they describe. The pay almost no attention to French/American hybrids. There has been an explosion of new varieties available to growers in the last few years, but this book breaks little new ground to give information on lesser know varieties. It shines on the already established varieties.