Customer Reviews

Fear of Wine: An Introductory Guide to the Grape

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I received this book while shopping for suits at one of my favorite stores when I lived in Washington, DC. I had, by coincidence, become very interested in wines and had been hanging out at Clevland Partk Wine & Liquor (the BEST wine shop in DC if you are ever there). I began flipping through the book and before long was having intelligent conversations with anyone who would listen about wine. Even now as a (some what) more experienced wine lover, I constantly go back to this book over others that I have acquired since. Fear of Wine is fantastic for anyone, whether they actually do still have a fear of the wine list or are just looking for more information about why the French have such a screwy rating sytem. Interested in wine? GET THIS BOOK!

A friend recommended Fear of Wine to me, since he knew I had recently become interested in the subject. What he told me was true: the book manages to make learning about wine really fun. The author is an anti-snob, and I found her no-nonsense approach to be very appealing; and unlike with the Idiot's and Dummies books, I didn't feel I was being talked down to. (I'm not a moron, are you?) Although I thought the book was great all the way through, the sections on ordering wine in restaurants and buying wine for home were particularly strong. Also, as a person who was only familiar with California wines, and especially Chardonnay and Merlot, the book was terrific at untangling French, Italian, and other European wines, opening up a whole new world to me, and also introducing me to other American varieties. And it seems the book isn't only great for beginners--I gave it as a gift to a friend who actually knows quite a bit about wine, and she can't stop raving about it either!

This book has a good overview of many subjects, but tends to try to answer so many questions too quickly. The early section on making wine is good, but I felt like I was taking a 3-hour tour of San Francisco. Granted that the subtitle is "an introductory guide to the grape", it could have been less rushed and used the same amount of space. The sections on the different AVAs are excellent -- some of the best informative condensed coverage that I have read. The list of preferred producers of each type is very good, without tying down to specific prices or vintages. The brief list of 10-bottle and 20-bottle starter collections at the back is very helpful (and very similar to what I started with!). Good book. The informative casual cartoons convinced me to change it from four stars to five stars.

This book gives a great overview of all types of wine, going methodically from grape to grape, region to region. It also gives practical advice for every situation, from wine tasting to shopping for wines to ordering in restaurants to matching with food. But the best part is the approach: It completely dispels the mythology surrounding wine and brings it back down to the simple fact that it's fermented grape juice. It is completely devoid of pretention or pomposity. At the same time, it makes very clear that wine is thoroughly enjoyable and can improve your life. I constantly refer to it, and each time I open it up I learn something.

Similar in approach to the "dummies" books, this one brings a more adult approach without sliding into dullness or snobbery. Lightened by Teague's cartoons, it offers a noteworthy introduction to the wine hobby

This is perfect as a "first wine book." It is funny, reasurring yet packed with information. I have read it over and over many times and given it to friends who have asked how I became "so knowlegable about wine". If you have ever enjoyed a glass of wine and wanted to know more but were afraid to ask this book is for you

This book is very informative and entertaining -- so much so that an update would be much appreciated! Much has happened in California wine country and other U.S. wine-producing areas since the book was originally published in 1995. I ask the author to consider updating the book.

A friend of mine gave this book about 9 years ago, I enjoyed it then and I still go back and read it now, it has been one the best wine books I have, easy to read and very helpful, it sure gave the information I needed to star my wine cellar.

This is a wonderful book. It's accurate and EASY to READ. You will not get overwhelmed or confused while reading this material. The illustrations help a LOT. Best introductory wine book out there. A must buy for beginners!

I'm a wine person anyday, but I've been separated for a year or so from my wine-loving family, and suddenly I'm going crazy to learn more about the divine juice I grew up with. I checked this book out from the library because it was the only wine book they had; I thought the title was silly and I didn't expect to get much out of it.

Maybe I was starting to turn into a wine snob; this book is fun! The title refers to a cultural phenomenon: wine is chic now, so those "in the know" are revered by those who want to be, and the wannabes spend their time around wine worrying about how wine-smart they are instead of enjoying their wine.

With this is mind, the book is devoted to teaching anyone who wants to know enough to feel comfortable making decisions about wine, tasting it in public, and enjoying the hell out of it. I'm not exactly a novice -- nor am I an expert -- and I learned a lot! Better: I really enjoyed the read.

There are little cartoons every other page; they're silly, but they can be cute, too, and they serve as mnemonics for those of us who need a little help remembering all that info.

There's only one thing "wrong" with FEAR OF WINE: it needs to be updated!