The American Wine Society Presents: The Complete Handbook of Winemaking [Paperback]

The American Wine Society (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1994

Compiled by wine experts, this guide reveals how to produce consistently outstanding table wines, champagne, sparkling wines, and wines from a variety of fruits.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The American Wine Society was established in 1967 and has grown into a nationwide organization of amateur grape growers, winemakers, and wine aficionados interested in learning more about the history, production, appreciation, and use of wines.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: G. W. Kent, Inc. (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0961907223
• ISBN-13: 978-0961907228
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #864,468 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Both beginning and advanced winemakers will profit from it., July 20, 1998

By 

Jack B. Keller, Jr. - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Wine Society Presents: The Complete Handbook of Winemaking (Paperback)

This is an anthology of articles, many of which are quite technical but nonetheless good. By the same token, there is enough here to contribute to most readers' education and make him or her a better winemaker. You may learn things you don't need to know in the process, but knowledge should be its own reward.

Frankly, I enjoyed this book. Much of what is written elsewhere on the subject is for the beginner and is all too ofter the same basics as were in the previous dozen books on the subject. It's nice to read (and learn) something new for a change. Just as -- if not more -- importantly, it's nice to learn why something you knew to be so is, in fact, so.

If you simply don't understand the nuances of acidity -- and many people don't -- or just want to learn the finer points of blending, this book will pay for itself with better wines in the future. What more could you ask for?

This book, even in paperback, makes an especially attractive gift -- to yourself o! r to another.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Handbook of Winemaking, January 12, 2000

By 

David J. Leudemann (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Wine Society Presents: The Complete Handbook of Winemaking (Paperback)

Having recieved a winemaking kit as a Christmas gift, I purchased The Complete Handbook of Winemaking for the obvious purpose. Although experienced in the consumption of wine, I purchased the book thinking that I would receive a step by step instruction (reference the book title)that would take me from winemaking ignorance to novice and beyond.

The book is set up in a logical fashion and its contents are actually a compilation of articles authored by experts from throughout the winemaking community.

While each of the articles are generally well written, I would hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who is not already well versed in the art of winemaking. If you have ever read an industry white paper or an industry executive summary, than you will know exactly what I mean.

The topics appear to be presented by industry experts FOR industry experts. Terms were not clearly explained and the book did not attempt to engage me in the core concepts of winemaking. After completion of the book I found that I had many more questions than answers.

In conclusion, and not to poke fun at the expense of the American Wine Society, this book is very dry and not really helpful at all. I appears as though as they have capitalized upon the brand recognition of their good name to market a collection of dusty and seldom read academic papers.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For the science minded, July 3, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Wine Society Presents: The Complete Handbook of Winemaking (Paperback)

If you have a engineers or any other type of scientific background and love winemaking this book is for you. This book is a compliation of papers going over different ascepts of wine and winemaking. Scienctific priniciples are used and explained in this book quite a bit. Most of the contributors are former chemists and scientistics