The Finest Wines of Champagne: A Guide to the Best Cuvées, Houses, and Growers (The World's Finest Wines) [Paperback]

Michael Edwards (Author), Hugh Johnson (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: The World's Finest Wines | Publication Date: October 14, 2009

Champagne is synonymous with celebration and success--but have its festive associations detracted from its status as a fine wine in its own right? Drawing on his intimate knowledge of a classic but rapidly changing region, Michael Edwards takes a radically different approach in this unrivaled, terroir-based guide to the world's best sparkling wines. Ninety in-depth profiles of the best small growers as well as the greatest houses are organized geographically--from the finest producers of the great city of Reims, wine towns of Epernay and Aÿ, and the leading villages of the Marne, and to the rising stars of the Aube (Côte des Bar) and beyond. Edwards also discusses the culture of Champagne, reviews trends in viticulture and winemaking, and investigates controversial solutions to the current crisis of success in a region that cannot satisfy global demand for its wines. Additional sections explore the gastronomic traditions of the area, give advice on pairing Champagne with food, survey the vintages of the past 20 years, list the wines with the best price-to-quality ratio, and more, making this extensively illustrated work a true connoisseur's guide to the most glamorous and perhaps the most enigmatic of French wines.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Straightforward yet refreshingly opinionated."--New York Times

"Delivers big time."--Chicago Tribune

"My favorite 2009 wine book."--The Wine News

About the Author

Michael Edwards is a writer specializing in Champagne and gastronomy. He is the author of the best-selling Champagne Companion (winner of Le Prix Lanson), Pocket Guide to Champagne and Sparkling Wine, and The Red Wine Companion. Edwards is also a regular contributor to The World of Fine Wine among other publications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (October 14, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520259408
• ISBN-13: 978-0520259409
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,504 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Drinks & Beverages > Wine > Buying Guides

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bubbling with information, December 5, 2010

By 

Hande Z (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Finest Wines of Champagne: A Guide to the Best Cuvées, Houses, and Growers (The World's Finest Wines) (Paperback)

There are many books on champagne guides. Michael Edwards has not only produced one of the most up-to-date one but also one of the most enjoyable to read. It is not as unwieldy as Stevenson's "World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine" (2003) or as compact as Eric Glatre's "Champagne Guide" (1999) or his own "The Champagne Companion" (1994) it's smaller than the iPad but thicker and slightly heavier. What makes it stand out apart from the very useful history of the champagne houses, this book has well taken photographs of the champagne makers and the vineyards - puts a face to the name. It also has the very useful information about the best champagne of each house and a neat table of the "champagne" years, with recommendations as to whether to drink or to hold. Cheers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book packed with information, December 13, 2010

By 

JayBe (Birrwill) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Finest Wines of Champagne: A Guide to the Best Cuvées, Houses, and Growers (The World's Finest Wines) (Paperback)

Excellent book containing detailed info of about 90 top growers, from Mumm & Moet down to small family farms (but whose product is superb). The book is also beautifully presented; you'll want to get in your car and spend a week or two touring Champagne to visit them all.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars you get what you pay for, June 1, 2011

By 

dean berdusis (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Finest Wines of Champagne: A Guide to the Best Cuvées, Houses, and Growers (The World's Finest Wines) (Paperback)

If you are into a coffee table book or a gift for a wine enthusiast this is nothing short of charming and informative (on a superficial level). I bought this book to add to a collection of "fluff" at a winebar i work at in Chicago. The size of the book, design layout and beautiful photos are superb. It's nice to see the actual face behind the legendary Krug, or my personal favorite Duval Leroy. However, if what you are looking for are specifics like, stainless steel or wood, how much new versus old oak, saingee method or not for roses, etc, you will be let short. This book is more about presenting "infomercials" about producers with little information about the actual Champagne. However, everyone will learn something after a quick read and the photos alone are just plain beautiful. Again, as a gift or coffee table book, it's top notch.