The paperback edition of this highly praised wine classic includes a new preface and an all-new chapter that covers changes and advances in winemaking since the book’s initial publication in 1989. Kramer explores connoisseurship through the practical devices of “thinking wine” and “drinking wine,” making for an engrossing journey through one of life’s great pleasures. Wine’s complexities are often glossed over in favor of sound bites tailored to the novice. Kramer embraces and celebrates these complexities. The superbly written text covers the basics, from food and wine pairings to setting up a wine cellar.
Making Sense Of Wine
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Recommend Kramer's book to cherished adult "children" who refuse to be weaned from the beer bottle--this book may do the trick of transforming wine drinking into a familiar pleasure. While much wine writing verges on pedantry, columnist Kramer brings a disciplined reporter's ear to his job, along with wit and intelligence to spare. A relatively recent convert to wine, the author remembers how intimidating the drink can be, and seeks to tame it by solving the mysteries of its history, customs and manners. Why, for example, are many corks branded with their vineyard's name and year? As a precaution and tool for identification, lest the bottle label deteriorate in a damp cellar, and the cook or host need to verify the contents. Kramer is also not afraid to say, in his blunt style, that the overly technical language often used to explain how champagne comes by its bubbles is "gobbledegook." And because he asserts that wine is meant to be imbibed with food--"without the context of food, wine is a eunuch"--his final chapter includes recipes for such delicacies as blanc-manger and butternut squash soup.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
The author, a widely published food and wine writer, discusses the fundamentals of wine, as well as its fine points, from a perspective that combines common sense with scientific fact. Topics such as wine storage, service, and matching wine with food are dealt with in a no-nonsense fashion. Perhaps more interesting is the opening discussion of connoisseurship and the social dimension of wine. Some recipes are offered in the section on wine with food. The point of view taken is refreshingly free of dogma. This is recommended reading for those interested in wine and is a useful supplement to such standards as Andre Simon's Wines of the World , edited by Serena Sutcliffe (McGraw-Hill, 1981. 2d. ed.).
- Bruce Hulse, Vanguard Technologies Corp., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Bruce Hulse, Vanguard Technologies Corp., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
The wine writer for the Portland Oregonian presents a truly intelligent introduction to wine, an excellent starting point for a novice who wants to ramp up his knowledge quickly and well, and a good read even for those who think they know it all
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"At their best, wine grapes give voice to the earth."
Matt Kramer does a great job of mingling the history of wine with the enjoyment of wine tasting. He thoroughly explains in a very engaging manner, just what it is that we are tasting when we say we like a wine. Further, he says it's fine to simply like a wine but when you combine your preference with knowledge you can begin to appreciate wine more fully. You can, for example, not like the taste of a particular wine and yet know that it is an excellent wine in spite of your dislike.
He's not keen of the judging of wines. Judging wines by scoring them on a 1-100 scale makes wine seem mechanistic as though it were a precise manufactured substance that can be assigned an exact grade and that it deserves one as well. This approach does not allow wine to make sense; it just makes it orderly and competitive.
What is lacking is a more fundamental sense of what makes a good wine good. Matt Kramer spells it out for us with clarity and finesse.
Matt Kramer does a great job of mingling the history of wine with the enjoyment of wine tasting. He thoroughly explains in a very engaging manner, just what it is that we are tasting when we say we like a wine. Further, he says it's fine to simply like a wine but when you combine your preference with knowledge you can begin to appreciate wine more fully. You can, for example, not like the taste of a particular wine and yet know that it is an excellent wine in spite of your dislike.
He's not keen of the judging of wines. Judging wines by scoring them on a 1-100 scale makes wine seem mechanistic as though it were a precise manufactured substance that can be assigned an exact grade and that it deserves one as well. This approach does not allow wine to make sense; it just makes it orderly and competitive.
What is lacking is a more fundamental sense of what makes a good wine good. Matt Kramer spells it out for us with clarity and finesse.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Matteo
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an essential book for anyone with an interest, from casual to professional, in wine. If you're looking for a book that applies meaningless rating systems and uses clumsy metaphors and flavour associations ( *cough* Robert Parker *cough* James Halliday *cough*), then this isn't the book for you. However, if you are interested in forming or complementing an understanding of wine as a historical and ongoing cultural and culinary product, then it is an essential addition to your library.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good but Not Great
First off I would say that this is NOT a bad book. It is a reasonable guide to wine and will give you some basic facts. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Zachary Zimko
5.0 out of 5 stars
Making Sense of Wine
Always enjoyed Matt Kramer's books. I have two of his other books. I first came across him in Wine Spectator and thought he was very frank in his opinion. Read more
Published on June 15, 2010 by John Manjiro
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must Read for any Wine Enthusiast
Will further your interest in becoming a connoisseur (even if you don't know you'd like to become one yet). Best for thoes with at least a basic appreciation. Read more
Published on July 3, 2006 by Evan Djikas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Elegantly written
An elegant book about an elegant subject. Learned a lot and was intellectually engaged. Not a thorough primer on wine or tasting but rather a thorough discourse on the important... Read more
Published on December 26, 2004 by CAB
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stop making sense
The title of the book is amusing given the numerous times the author refutes his own arguments on one point or another. Read more
Published on January 1, 2004
