Customer Reviews

California Wine Winners 2005: The Best of the 2004 Judgings

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the 11th edition of this book that I've bought and I find it an indispensable tool. As an amateur wine-o-phile I take exeception to the widespread belief that I need to be marketed to by glossy spread magazines whose genuine interest lies more in pleasing their advertisers (Wine Connosieur, etc.). This pocket-sized guide is to wine as the original Field Guide to Birds of North America is to birding: all business, no ads, and without substitute.
Try this: buy the guide, determine the highest price you'll pay for a particular varietal, find the ones in each category that have a significant # of awards, then carry the book with you the next time you're in your favorite wine store. In 12 years I have NEVER been let down by my choices- the prices listed as a reference are often higher than what you'll find at your store, at least at the beginning of the season. Prosit!

This is a great book to research California wines at home or at a restaurant that serves mostly California wines. It divides the wines into types like Chardonnay. A great feature is you can look up a winery or producer and learn which of its wines have won prizes, how many, and its best wine(s). It also rates wines by total points since not all prizes are of equal merit, for example, gold beats silver. The local is also important - a prize Merlot from Napa might taste better than a prize Merlot grown in the Sierra Foothills. Unfortunately, the book covers only California wines. If you wanted to bring one with you when dining out or purchasing wine in, say, Boston, I would bring Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2009.