Customer Reviews

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2008: 31st Edition

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Hugh Johnson is a voice of reason and intelligence in a world of wine marketing going mad. Valuable as Robert Parker has been in popularizing wine, educating about wine, and debunking stereotypes in famous wines that did not live up to their billing, Hugh Johnson's advice is simply more accurate, modest, and useful in acquiring good taste in wine.

The enormous American market for highly charged alcohol driven wine, largely the work of Parker's scores, which in recent years seem roughly proprotional to alcohol content, has fueled a tremendous response among wine makers, almost driving good subtle, low alcohol wine out of existence, and even in france driving up alcohol levels to a height where the untutored wine beginner can immediately taste something powerful.

The irony is, that as more of us ignorant Americans learn more about wine, and become more sophisticated, we gradually learn to appreciate the kind of wine that Parker is running out of business. Hugh Johnson seems almost wistful as he comments on the parker phenomenon, as if the cause is essentially lost, but he does not give up.

Parker's confidently precise numerical scores for wines barely out of barrel, are completely unreliable in the long run, hence are dishonest, even as he claims such great incorruptibility. Maybe he isn't being bribed to say what he says, but his ego or his marketing sense still allows him to claim virtues and high prices for wine so young no one can truly say it is going to be wonderful in 10 years.

Do you really think a bottle of 2003 latour is worth over 800 dollars? the price was set years ago by parker and his ilk, whereas in 1979 I bought a bottle of likely very superior 1970 latour for $50.

Anyone who like me has spent a large sum of money on a wine highly praised by parker, and been sadly and expensively disappointed, knows what I mean. A look at Parkers website shows that he changes his mind frequently about the same wine, since obviously he made his judgment too soon much of the time.

Johnson tells the truth, that one simply cannot say in the first few years whether a wine will be that great or not. But the market wants certainty and Parker provides it even if it is nonsense.

if you want a true, measured, useful and honestly reserved, guide to wine, this is it. The irony is that Parker's main value now is in leading his pack of followers off the trail of the really well balanced, and fairly priced wine. I.e. one is wise now to seek wines parker has overlooked or disparaged i would give as an example of this topsy turvy situation, the col solare wines of washington, which i say have decreased in quality every year since the excellent 1997, as the alcohol levels and parker ratings have climbed.

another example is justin baldwins isosceles, a supwrb wine in 1997-98-99-2000, but now coming in at 15% alcohol, and mouth searingly unpleasant, along with the once wonderful justin cabs. andrew will's wines from washington are also climbing in alcohol levels, and the best ones back in 2000 or so, are hard to find.

When in doubt, rely upon a trusted Grape Geek. Preeminent British wine columnist and oenophile, Hugh Johnson wrote the book on wine, literally. In his memoir, A Life Uncorked, he spills the truth about his envious 40-year journey with wine-bubbly, reds, and whites. In The World Atlas of Wine: Completely Revised and Updated, Sixth Edition and Hugh Johnson's Story of Wine he further demonstrates his impressive wine knowledge. His 2008 Pocket Wine Book is the practical result of Johnson's enormous experience and wine knowledge, and will assist wine amateurs (like me) in choosing the best wines in an often complex wine market. With over 6,000 wines, growers, and regions, along with updated vintage information, recommendations (including budget options), and star ratings, this is the guide I most often rely upon in making my wine purchases. Highly recommended.

G. Merritt

Great little wine book...Hugh Johnson takes a lot of the pretense and snob appeal out of wine...he's all about what you like, moreso than just rating. Nice addition for reference and seeing consistency across wineries.

Wow, what a great little wine guide. Has saved my pallet many times over the past couple of months by steering me towards much better wines. Fun, easy and quick to use. I use it at the wine shop, the grocery store and online. An easy way to meet people in the wine aisle! You may leave the store with more than a bottle of wine and a wedge of cheese!! Cheers!!!

I have been using this annual guide for many years and I continue to find it extremely useful. Johnson's approach is much more in-depth and informative than the various single-number raters. Compared to previous editions, however, I note two deficiencies in the 2008 edition:

* There is much less vintage information on many individual wine entries. (I refer to the vintage data in the individual listings, not the regional vintage summary table.) Past editions gave much greater history of which vintages were still recommended, ready, or at peak with unmentioned vintages being unrecommended. This edition in many instances lists only a few vintages. This important insight is no longer included.

* Johnson's publisher should pay attention to ensuring clear visual contrast. A different color is used to denote a vintage "at peak" from a vintage that is "just ready". The two colors are too close together and it can be difficult to discern which vintages are at peak.

While the guide is still extremely valuable and a truly comprehensive resource, these factors step it down a notch in my opinion.

My husband has collected many books on wine. I first bought this book for him many years ago when his interest in wine became serious. Today, this is still the first book he picks up when he wants to know about a particular vintage and how it is rated. It gives just a short synopsis however it is very helpful when you're trying to decide what to buy.

A very handy, newly up-dated, pocket wine book to facilitate your decision for the selection of wines in restaurants and for vintage information,

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2008: 31st Edition (Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book) This book is a bonus for the traveller who wants an excellent reference guide on the go. The international wineries are well covered. As an Australian who has travelled I am generally impressed. I am quite disappointed in the coverage of Pinot Noir, especially since Bordeaux and its Cabernet gets heaps of space and I noticed Burgundy with its sublime Pinot gets lumped under general heading of France.

This is a very useful and practical overview of wines and wineries. It's informative and as objective as can be.

I reviewed several pocket wine books before purchasing 20 copies of Hugh Johnson's book to give as gifts. This edition has the perfect balance of content to educate the novice and inform the expert.