Wine and Philosophy: A Symposium on Thinking and Drinking

I am not sure of the right word to describe this book but it is somewhere around impressive and marvelous. The essays chosen for this book and the way they were organized provided a way not just to access avenues for thinking about wine, but a way into thinking about and doing philosophy. The essays are remarkably simple to understand and yet are powerful in what they have to teach and in the manner they challenge the course by which you think about wine, language, perception, beauty, art, metaphysical properties and what is moral. Some of the essays are also highly entertaining arising out of the comical fashion in which they are penned. It is a book for everyone, not just philosophers and surely not just for wine consumers.

The differents points of view concerning the experience of wine drinking are the main intereswt on this reading. I do recomend.

First of all, this volume is easier to access than 'Questions of Taste' edited by Barry C. Smith. The essays in this volume range in difficulty - although the majority are relatively straight-forward without resorting to philosophical arguments and meanderings. In 'Questions of Taste', the focus was primarily on aesthetics, our use of wine vocabulary, and subjectivity vs. objectivity and meant for a philosophically-minded audience. In 'Wine & Philosophy' there is a wider range of topics. Some of the essays include: 'Wine in Ancient Greece: Some Platonist Ponderings' - Harold Tarrant - a look at the early history of wine in Greek society, focusing on its importance to the writings to Greek poets and philosophers. 'On and Off the Wagon: Wine and the American Character' - Jonathon Alsop - a brief history of wine in American life, examining the impact of Prohibition and the film 'Sideways'. 'In Vino Sanitas' - Frederick Adolf Paola - an accessible essay about the health benefits of wine And my two personal favourite essays: 'The Soul of Wine: Digging for Meaning' - Randall Grahm and 'Experiencing Wine: Why Critics Mess Up (Some of the Time)' Jamie Goode - both entertaining and informative, the former focusing on what cannot be criticized in wine analysis and what many of us surely feel when drinking a great bottle of wine 'soul' - the latter essay taking a look at the far-from-perfect world of wine criticism. This volume offers a great deal more to a wider range of readers. The only essay I found the least interesting (perhaps because I am a Canadian) is 'Shipping Across State Lines: Wine and the Law' - Drew Massey. It's not something I am too concerned about but American readers will certainly find it fascinating as to the difficulties of shipping wine across some state lines. For those readers who want a pleasant, philosophical and at times, challenging read (three essays, I will admit are a bit heavier in philosophical ideas but well worth the effort), I highly recommend this book. There is enough here to interest readers with varying levels of wine knowledge and appreciation which makes it highly approachable and highly enjoyable.

This book provides an excellent overview of the enjoyment and the evaluation of wine, as well as discussion of the philosophical issues surrounding these areas. It combines experts from philosophy, wine tasting and the wine industry. Not only are the essays informative and thought-provoking, but moreover they are enjoyable to read! A great volume!