Wine & beverages - Introductory
Wine Diva books

Books – Wine & beverages – Introductory

Books 1 to 20 of 31 – Introductory

Wine All-in-one for Dummies  by Consumer Dummies
This is an all-inclusive, easy-to-use primer to all things wine. Want to learn about wine, but don’t know where to start? “Wine All-In-One For Dummies” provides comprehensive information about the basics of wine in one easy-to-understand volume. Combining the bestselling “Wine For Dummies” with our regional and specific wine titles, this book gives you the guidance you need to understand, purchase, drink and enjoy wine. You’ll start at the beginning as you discover how wine is made. From there you’ll explore grape varieties and vineyards, read labels and wine lists, and discover all the nuances of tasting wine. You’ll see how to successfully store wine and serve it to your guests – and even build up an impressive collection of wine. Plus, y

Paperback,  696 pp,  $41.95. Buy now

Wine Class  by Jo Burzynska
Wine Class is an entertaining and informative guide to wine that aims to equip the reader with the confidence to hold their own, discover what they like and understand wine. Brimming with amusing anecdotes and myth debunking, the book is based on Jo Burzynska’s popular Adventures in Wine classes. It examines the key factors that affect wine – the influence of region, the key grape varieties, the winemaker, plus key wine recommendations in a variety of price brackets, to illustrate what Jo is discussing. It is aimed at beginners, but has a depth that ensures that those with some wine experience will also find it of use and should particularly appeal to a female readership. Jo will be widely recognised through her weekly section in the Herald

Paperback,  256 pp,  $36.95. Buy now

The Basic Basics Wine Handbook  by Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm
Helps you learn how wine is made, where it’s made, what it should taste like, and which wines go with which food. This handbook takes you step by step through the essentials using a system of icons, and also helps you decide what wine to buy and how to keep it

Paperback,  200 pp,  $16.99. Buy now

California Wine for Dummies  by Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan
This is a tasteful guide for California wine novices and connoisseurs alike. California accounts for over 90 percent of the total U.S. wine production – about two of every three bottles sold. California Wine For Dummies presents the latest information on California wines and the regions where they are produced, such as Sonoma, Napa, and Monterey. The book gives readers the knowledge they need to appreciate California wines, select a good bottle at a store or restaurant, find bargains, and pair wines with food.It also explains why some regions are renowned for wines made from specific grape varietals, and offers tips on how to get the most out of winery visits. Ed McCarthy, CWE (Baldwin, NY), is a regular contributor to Wine Enthusiast and T

Paperback,  288 pp,  $22.95. Buy now

Teach Yourself Choosing the Right Wine  by Beverley Blanning
Whatever your budget, this book demystifies the world of wine and gives you confidence in every situation. This unique blend of insight and information will show you how you can learn to really love wine, on any budget. You will learn about the major grape varieties, the key countries and the essential terminology more importantly, you will learn how to develop your tastes, and how to select and buy wines that you really like. Not only will you develop a genuine enjoyment of wine, you will also discover the practicalities of buying, storing and serving, allowing you to feel confident on every occasion, and to enjoy your wines for many years to come.

Paperback,  224 pp,  $22.99. Buy now

Wine at Your Fingertips  by Jennifer D. Frank
Make it a very good year for your wine cellar. Unless you are a wine expert with years of tasting experience, the dozens of varieties, the globalization of vineyards, and the wide range of prices can make a trip to the wine shop daunting. Now, sommelier and seasoned wine expert Jennifer D. Frank distills the mysteries and pleasures of wine for every kind of wine lover from novice to connoisseur. Explains every aspect of the wine world without snobbery or jargon, including basic types, food pairing, storage, and buying for your budget. Reference made easy with thumb tabs and clear organization. Concise, easy-to-understand information.

Paperback,  400 pp,  $29.95. Buy now

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wine Basics  by Tara Q. Thomas
From grape lover to grape aficionado, the possibilities of learning about and buying wine have expanded and so has The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wine Basics with a new edition. Here, readers can get their hands on new information such as ordering hard-to-find wine online, discussing the newest and most popular labels and vintages, and understanding the biggest trend in wine today, environmentally conscious wines and winemaking. Readers will find: *Essentials about the winemaking process, key terms, tips for tasting, and buying advice *Organic, biodynamic and natural winemaking *Winemaking in states other than California, Oregon, and Washington *Regions gaining popularity, such as South Africa, Eastern Europe, and Portugal

Paperback,  386 pp,  $26.95. Buy now

Wine Wise  by Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith and Michael A. Weiss and others
WineWise is a must-have for anyone seeking the knowledge and confidence to select and enjoy great wines. It will give readers a basic introduction to wine: how to select different varieties and identify their flavors, how to read wine labels, and how to identify grapes from wine-growing regions all over the world. The interior of this title features detailed maps, examples of wine labels, and hundreds of four-color photos. Chapters include Enjoying Wine, White Grapes, Red Grapes, Living with Wine, Wine and Food, and Wine in Restaurants, as well as chapters on wine-growing regions from France, Italy, and Germany to California and New York State to South America, Australia, Spain, and Portugal.

,  368 pp,  $37.95. Buy now

Andrew Jeffords Wine Course  by Andrew Jefford
Andrew Jefford’s Wine Course is written with warmth, wit and a deep love of the subject. It unfolds in 20 projects, so you learn the essentials in a helpful order. The first part, The Tools, introduces you to the kit you’ll need for tasting and thinking about wine, including glasses and the colours of key wine types. You’ll learn how to choose wine and make tasting notes. The Elements explains wine’s components. Andrew profiles the Magnificent Seven grapes: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir, plus more from the vine family, and profiles the role of the winemaker in shaping the finished product.

Hardback,  176 pp,  $24.95. Buy now

Red Wine: Discovering, Exploring, Enjoying  by Jonathan Ray
This is an invaluable introduction to red wine that will give you the information to approach any bottle with total confidence. The enormous choice of bottles on the supermarket or off-licence shelf may seem daunting at first, but with this little book you will soon pick up the basic facts and be on your way to an in-depth knowledge of the wonderful world of red wine. Jonathan Ray considers all the important grape varieties – from Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot, and from Nebbiolo to Zinfandel – describing their character, quirks and qualities. He also reveals the secrets of deciphering wine labels and explains the best ways to store, serve and taste wine.

Hardback,  64 pp,  $19.95. Buy now

White Wine  by Jonathan Ray
This is an invaluable introduction to white wine that will give you the information to approach any bottle with total confidence. The enormous choice of bottles on the supermarket or off-licence shelf may seem daunting at first, but with this little book you will soon pick up the basic facts and be on your way to an in-depth knowledge of the wonderful world of white wine. Jonathan Ray considers all the important grape varieties – from Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc, and from Riesling to Viognier – describing their character, quirks and qualities. He also reveals the secrets of deciphering wine labels and explains the best ways to store, serve and taste wine.

,  61 pp,  $19.95. Buy now

Whiskey and Spirits for Dummies  by Perry Luntz and Carol Ann Rinzler
Whiskey & Spirits For Dummies is your complete guide to selecting and enjoying this family of noble beverages. From whiskey, rum, and brandy to vodka, gin, and cordials, this handy reference traces the history of distilled spirits, explains how they are made, and shows you how to evaluate, serve, and savour them. This friendly book tells you as it reveals where the first whiskeys – or ‘dark’ spirits – originated and how they came to the United States. It also explores the origins of clear spirits and the different varieties of each. This thorough guide also features recipes for cooking with spirits.

Paperback,  336 pp,  $24.95. Buy now

A Hedonist in the Cellar  by Jay McInerney
In A Hedonist in the Cellar, Jay McInerney gathers more than five years’ worth of essays and continues his exploration of what’s new, what’s enduring, and what’s surprising-giving his palate a complete workout and the reader an indispensable, idiosyncratic guide to a world of almost infinite variety. Filled with delights oenophiles everywhere will savor, this is a collection driven not only by wine itself but also the people who make it. An entertaining, irresistible book that is essential for anyone enthralled by the myriad pleasures of wine

Paperback,  243 pp,  $20.95. Buy now

Spit or Swallow  by Jennifer Ratcliffe-Wright
Embarrassed about your wine knowledge? Spit or swallow is written for those wishing to know a little bit more about wine in order for them to enjoy it a lot more. Wine, like foreplay, requires a little effort. With Spit or swallow, you will soon be right on the button, so to speak. Spit or swallow focuses more on the good life of food, wine and pleasure than it does on technical jargon contained in wine speak. It is a guide to living with wine as a healthy and integral part of your daily life. Wine makes food taste better, it makes occasions more memorable and it makes us happy. Spit or swallow is here to give a fresh approach and make the whole wine-thing less scary. Wine nerds talk about the characters of a wine as being cheerful, subtle

Paperback,  112 pp,  $26.95. Buy now

A Guide to Craft Brewing  by John Alexander
The Guide to Craft Brewing explains how to brew your own beer in clear and straightforward terms, making this popular and rewarding hobby accessible to all.

Paperback,  160 pp,  $41.95. Buy now

The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide: Buying, Pairing, and Sharing for All   by Leslie Sbrocco
When Leslie asks her audiences what types of information they want in a new book, the overwhelming response is a portable compilation of top picks. Leslie Sbrocco’s Simple and Savy Wine Guide is packed with all kinds of glance-and-go lists for everything from what wine to drink with Thai take-out, to wines perfect for drinking in a bubble bath. Leslie also offers up an entire section based on her popular concept of wine makeovers, in which she takes an expensive wine and offers a similar tasting, less expensive version

Paperback,  224 pp,  $20.95. Buy now

Wine for Dummies   by Ed McCarthy
Beginning with the basic types of wine and how wines are made, this book gets down to specifics: how to handle snooty wine clerks, navigate restaurant wine lists, decipher cryptic wine labels, and dislodge stubborn corks; how to sniff and taste wine; how to store and pour wine and pair it with food; four white wine styles; and more

Paperback,  384 pp,  $27.95. Buy now

A Wine Miscellany  by Graham Harding
Packed with arcane information about everything from types of cork and other closures to the rarest and the most expensive wines (which are not necessarily the same thing), here is a book that a wine connoisseur may give to a novice, and that someone ignorant of wine may give to an expert.

Hardback,  160 pp,  $29.95. Buy now

Le Cordon Bleu Wine Essentials  by Stephen Brook, Wink Lorch, Margaret Rand and others
An essential reference guide for wine lovers, you can use it to guide your choice of wine in shops, restaurants, for cellaring and when selecting beverages for meals and special occasions. It advises on what food to serve with each wine – with recipes from the famed culinary institute.

Paperback,  192 pp,  $39.95. Buy now

How to Drink a Glass of Wine  by John Saker
New Zealand has become one of the world’s great wine-drinking and producing countries. After six years as a top wine writer, John Saker has now blended a thousand impressions, delicious experiences and startled taste-buds into an engrossing guide to the world’s most loved – and debated – beverage. This is a book not only for the wine connoisseur, but for the ordinary quaffer, curious to know more about the mystique, beauty and infinite pleasures of wine

Paperback,  144 pp,  $24.95. Buy now

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