Customer Reviews

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2011

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Always looking for the release of this book. I know how difficult it is to review all these wines annually. However, I've noticed that abour fifty percent of the reviews are the same for the last five years; not one word change.
Look at the Williams Selyem review. Same one over and over.

This is the first really disappointing edition of this book. No blame to the wonderful Hugh Johnson, all blame to the greedy unconscionable publisher. I.e. especially for us old guys, the print has finally become completely illegibly minuscule. I'm tired of this. I would happily pay $20 for a readable version as opposed to $10-$15 for a microscopic made in china book.

If you had to make the decision as to which wine book is the only one to own, I would definitely recommend the Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book. It is a very useful tool for all: experts and beguiners as well
I have been buying this book for over 20 years and during this time it has proven to be a very valuable source of information at restaurants, wine shops and wine tasting events. By the way, every year as soon as it is published I buy several copies to give to friends.
Several very good wine encyclopedias and many other wine books and publications sit in my book case, but this little gem is the only one that fits in your pocket and at the same time provides the information you need most of the time, a great plus!
The quick vintage reference charts (ratings) covers German, Italian, Spanish, Australian, Californian, New Zealander, S. African and French wines for up to 18 years and 5 years for Californian wines where vintage year is not as important as European wines. The section on wine and food pairing is most useful when entertainig. Most of the book is devoted to fairly detailed information on major wine producing countries, local producers, specific labels, best years and other very useful recommendations and comments.
It is a wonder how much information the author was able to pack into such a small package.
By all means this is a must have for all wine lovers. Enjoy!

An essential portable cache of global wine information. Short of using your lap-top wine review program or smartphone "app", this densely-packed book is the item to carry at the wine store.

A very useful gem to have around. Makes an excellent gift at Christmas ... to those who love & want to understand the current wine world.

Most books about wine are too large to take with you when buying wines at your favorite store. Some are small but not comprehensive enough. This book is the perfect companion: pocket size, very detailed and a fascinating reference for a very reasonable cost. Excellent!

This is a compact, concise guide to wines. While most bookstores seem to still have the 2010 Guide in stock, Amazon promptly delivers the most up to date guide at a great price. This book is the starting point for wine-lovers from beginners to experts.

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book is an absolute must for all wine lovers whose interest goes beyond the mere act of lubricating their throats. It contains a vast range of fascinating information, including up to the moment developments, and yet it is superbly edited down to a very manageable slim volume. Highly recommended.

This guide is outstanding. It has a focus on a brief description of producers rather than pure ratings. It also has great information about most wine regions, vintages, and a nice food pairing section early in the book. The size of the book makes it exceptionally easy to carry with you into a wine shop and enables you to have some idea about the reputation of wine makers, and in some instances, vintages that offer pleasant drinking now. It measures well in terms of quality with other more detailed wine books. I

I gave this book as a gift to a real wine lover and collector. She was thrilled when she matched some reviews to recent wines she has tasted and thought were great. In the process, she found out that the vintner also produced a highly reviewed Pinot Noir and her comment was--"This book is going to cost me a fortune."