The Wine Bible

This is a very good book...The author takes great pains to explain all the wines of the world...where they are grown..the type of land they are grown on ---and the connection to the local people. This book was suggested to me by a wine affectionato--and boy !! Was she right on the money. Every single wine that I was looking for is in this book. I cannot suggest this book enough !! Also, it arrived ahead of time...and though used --it is in beautiful condition !

I think "The Wine Bible" (TWB) should be the third book purchase for wine beginners (after "Wine for Dummies" and "Windows on the World Complete Wine Course"). TWB is full of good information. Of course, the first section is a must-read. Then, the sections are split into separate geographical areas and are very good and very detailed, while still being easy to read (the author's "education" background is readily apparent and helpful to the reader). I especially liked the depth of information that is presented in a friendly manner. For example, I wanted more in-depth information on Valpolicella. Most books given only a paragraph to it, if they give anything at all. Over several sections, this book probably had close to three pages (a lot of text on each page) which is about ten times the information of the competition. And no, this book is not lopsided in favor of information on Italy. That is just one example of why this book gets five stars. There are many other cases of information that other books do not contain or they gloss over. This book has a lot to offer.

A great book for a beginner. This book doesn't rate wines, it teaches you about how they are made, what flavors each grape is known for, what regions grow each type of grape and so on. Immensely useful information. I have used this as * a learning tool, * a reference when I'm curious about a wine I've found* to settle arguments with family over wine labeling * a reference to decide which wines may be worth trying from a specific region.As a reference, the book is not encyclopedic, but it doesn't attempt to be either. The book is a bible in the sense that it gives you a good solid overview of a wine region, it's styles of wines, and some of it's representative producers if you want to start trying out the regions wines.It is quick to point out that the ultimate judge of a wine is the drinker, and you shouldn't be shy to decide you do or don't like a wine despite it's reputation. I like that and believe it is a good approach.

This is a very solid book at least in the opinion of this newcomer to the field of fine wine. There seems to be good coverage for many wine regions around the world, and some good introductory material on the making of wine. The author describes grape types, climate, topography, storage casks, and whatever else may determine the quality and character of wines. The wine industry is not simple, but this book goes to great lengths to make it understandable. Granted it is my first venture into this field, but it appears that this book has something for everyone.

There are so many great wines and so little time to taste all the wines of the world. Karen does a fantastic job of boiling down all of the wines to the essence. Or as she puts it wines that deserve our attention. This book is a wealth of information. Read "how to use the book" first. The information about the regions and where to visit and what to taste will make sure this book is a traveling companion for me. Enjoy your wine journey.