Customer Reviews

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Encyclopedia of Wine, 1998

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A handy, entertaining read with excellent coverage of French wines and good coverage of the rest of traditional Europe (mostly German, Italian and Spanish). Unfortunately, New World coverage paled in comparison (60pgs for USA, Australia, NZ, South America AND South Africa compared to 180pgs for Europe!). This was a serious deficit as it is precisely in the exciting and confusing new world of wine that amateurs like myself need the sharp eye (palette, rather?) of experienced tasters.

Still, a great read -- balanced viewpoint (i.e. not egocentric), succinct writing, well-organised, easy to use, and full of enthusiasm for the subject. Has a healthy respect for humbler wines that is lacking in other publications; a timely reminder that wine is to be enjoyed in all dimensions and not just an excuse to be poncey. Definitely worth buying.

Being a recent inductee into the wine lover's hall of study, there haven't been many books on wine I haven't studied or browsed. Most of them regurgitate unoriginal thought. I found Johnson's encyclopedia both very entertaining and extensive in it's coverage. I also found his recommendations to be spot on! When was the last time you could say that about a reference book author? Needless to say, this excellent piece of work will be a constant companion in my wine store excursions!

Coming from certainly one of the most knowlegeable wine experts of our time, I expected a quite thorough look at the wines of the world. However, I was dismayed to read his subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle bias towards the French wines of classic reknown. Having compared French wines with their American, Australian, and Spanish counterparts, I feel that it is truly unfair to judge and describe all other wines versus the "perfect interpretation of what wine is about" which is the philosophy to which I perceive Mr. Johnson subscribes.

He gives too little attention to promising American wineries which produce beautiful (but admittedly different) interpretations of wine varietals and blends. Likewise, other new world winemaking countries (Australia in particular) have created a handful of legendary wines that, when placed next to their French contemporaries, outright beat them in a blind tasting. And wines from Spain, which taste quite different but have a unique beauty in their peculiarity, are dismissed quite readily as inferior. Rather, I would have preferred a more objective representation of the wines of the world which, while perhaps stating the author's preferences, also recognizes the inherent beauty of the different winemaking regions of the world: each has a particular taste and flavor that, if you take the time to learn and appreciate, can reward you with the smile of fond memories each time you taste another wine from that locale.

Were I to dote on this book, I'd hear Mr. Johnson's voice every time I open another bottle of wine saying, "you should have bought a Bordeaux..."

No question, fois gras and sauternes make my mouth water and my heart race, but no thanks, my paella tastes better with a Rioja, and my kangaroo burger with a Shiraz!

Honestly, this is a great reference. Take the time to learn how to read the symbols and abbreviations used throughout the text, or you will fail to benefit from the author's scholarship. Take the time, too, to read the brief pages on grape varieties. The section titled "Wine & Food," makes brief suggestions for wines with specific foods. Why would you want a different wine for beef stew and for beef stroganoff? For the variety! Why would you need Hugh Johnson to tell you? For his creative suggestions! Then take his journey through wine country, starting with France. Along the road you will re-discover your old familiar wine friends, and you will no doubt be introduced to some new ones. Do read the author's editorial on sulfites on page 198 for the author's contribution to the confusion. And use the vintage charts at the end to find why that '66 costs so much more than that '68. Better still, try them both and find out for yourself. Thanks Mr. Johnson.

This is my secret weapon. It's saved my skin many times when I've been asked to recommend a wine for that special occasion. It's also a great help when perusing wines in the grocery store, or, if you're slick enough, to secretly review your favorite restaurant's wine list. Any way you cut it, it's the best pocket reference I've seen. No, it doesn't cover every wine in the world, and no book can (boutique wines pop up too fast) but it'll get you through 95% of your wine hunt. I've been buying them for 12+ years. Very, very good stuff.

I think the above title pretty much summarizes how I feel abut Mr. Johnson's pocket wine encyclopedia. I carry it with me everywhere as my handy reference. He's helped me to recognize some good bargains in wine even if a particular vintage wasn't rated that well.

Hugh Johnson's book is the most objective, accurate, complete and concise evaluation of wine, by both winery and vintage year, that is currently available to wine lovers anywhere. This book is a must have. If a wine is not listed here, then it is probably not worth knowing about. The book comments on the quality and value of every important wine still available to consumers. The most amazing feature of this little book is that all this valuable information can be carried in one's pocket. I find that I refer to it more often than all my many other wine guides put together. It is easy to read, well organized and I have found all of its recommendations to be very objective. If it says that a wine will be good, it always is. If it states a particular wine represents a good value then it always does. If you are a wine novice and need someone to point you in the right direction no matter what your individual preferences may be, then Hugh Johnson is the man to read.

The "Mini-Johnson" as I like to call it, has been a companion on all my travels for many years. Countless are the hours spent reading it, in airports, on train-stations and other equally boring places, waiting to get to my destination. The Mini-Johnson never fails to entertain, and there was a time in the late 80`s when I thought I knew all his listed chateaux in Bordeaux by heart. I didn`t. The emergence of Amazon.co.uk has greatly helped non-UK residents to get hold of wine related books fast and reasonably priced. The "Mini-Johnson" came on our market several months after it was published in the UK, and the Norwegian translation almost a year thereafter! Praise to both Johnson and Amazon. Keep up the good work!

I found it lacking in information about pricing and availability. Two important factors when trying to choose a wine for any occasion.

When you follow the excellent advice in this wine guide, you quickly realize why this pocket book sells over 400,000 times a year - it is just indispensable for choosing the right wine of the right vintage for the right occasion. Although the book carries only the name of famous British wine expert Hugh Johnson on the cover, recommendations also come from a total of 59 other wine experts, such as, e.g., Christie's Michael Broadbend or Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm. This makes this book so reliable in its advice for enjoyable good wine. And it is always a nice little gift for people who appreciate an excellent bottle of wine as well.