I knew I had become a real wine lover when I started collecting wine books like I do cookbooks. Just a sampling of my growing collection of favorite wine books and maybe a few ideas for the wine lover in your life.
1. The Oxford Companion to Wine, by Jancis Robinson & Julia Harding For wine geeks, it is the go-to wine reference book when you have a question or need more information. A must- have for the serious wine lover that wants more detail. Well organized with a table of contents and terms listed alphabetically.
2. Cork Dork, by Bianca Bosker Bosker, takes the reader into the lives of sommeliers and their obsessive quest for wine and wine tasting. A fun, entertaining, and eye-opening book about the world of wine and sommeliers.
3. The Wine Bible, by Karen MacNeil The perfect wine textbook for someone wanting to know basic wine knowledge and reference specific wine growing regions for more details.
4. What to Drink with What You Eat, by Andrew Dornenburg & Karen Page For the person who enjoys pairing their wine and food, this is a classic comprehensive guide to food and wine pairings by ingredients and wine varietals.
5. But First, Champagne: A Modern Guide to the Worlds Favorite Wine, by David White As a Champagne enthusiast, this book provides details on the growing region, history, top producers, and current trends. My biggest takeaways were; the Grower Champagne Revolution and how to buy Champagne.
6. Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine, by Madeline Puckette & Justin Hammack The best introductory book to wine. Fun graphics that make understanding wine easy and fun. The book includes; wine fundamentals, wine styles, and wine regions.
7. Perfect Pairings, by Evan Goldstein One of my favorite books for food and wine pairings. Goldstein, a Master Sommelier, provides insight on 12 different grape varietals, sparkling wine, and dessert wine. He explains how and what to pair with a specific wine varietal and wine style. His mother, Joyce Goldstein, an acclaimed chef and cookbook author provides the recipes.
8. The World Atlas of Wine, 7th Edition, by Hugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson Another must have wine reference book for the serious wine geek. To truly understand wine you need to know where it grows, the geography, climate, and terroir. This book details it all with precise maps.
9. Adventure on the Wine Route, by Kermit Lynch This was the first wine book in my collection, it forever romanticized the French world of wine for me. Kermit Lynch, a well-known wine importer, takes us along his wine route as he visits vignerons in search of wines to import into the U.S. (stories from his travels date back to the ’70’s and ’80’s). A dreamy read with Lynch’s passion for wine intertwined in his storytelling.
Love your graphic – looks so tempting! I’d love to read away the Midwest winter with these!
Thanks Jill! I know Midwestern winters can be long so maybe, just maybe, you will be able to read away this winter.
“Nice list Jane! I too love Perfect Pairings. Was lucky to attend a class with Evan Goldstein and his mom based on the book some years back in Sonoma. The ultimate tasting evening it was!”
I am sure that was a fun tasting class. Many years ago I ate at Joyce Goldstein’s restaurant in San Francisco, Square One, and have been a fan ever since.