Hank Beal is a wine pro–the executive wine buyer at an upscale supermarket chain. Rick Kushman is an ordinary joe–a guy who enjoys wine but doesn’t know a lot about it. Together, Hank and Rick set out to visit all 141 public tasting rooms in Napa during the course of a year. The result is A Moveable Thirst–an engaging, often hilarious book that’s one part Sideways, one part Frommer’s. The first part recounts their uproarious adventures on the road as Rick learns to sniff and spit like a true oenophile (but never stops asking stupid questions). The second part offers the most complete and detailed guide ever published to Napa’s wine rooms. For wine lovers and the more than 5 million people who visit Napa every year, A Moveable Thirst is a great read and an indispensable guide.
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Book Description
A rollicking wine country travelogue paired with the only comprehensive guide to Napa’s public tasting rooms
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
There are 141 wine tasting rooms open to the public in California's Napa Valley, and Kushman, the TV columnist for the Sacramento Bee, decided he was going to visit them all with Beal, an executive wine buyer for a supermarket chain, offering his expert perspective. Both men are listed as coauthors, but it's Kushman alone who narrates their tours. He offers plenty of engaging vignettes, along with practical advice—don't wear white if you haven't gotten the hang of spitting yet—and accessible mini-lectures on subjects ranging from the history of white Zinfandel to the proper technique for fermenting wines in oak barrels. The stories, originally published as a series of newspaper columns, are consistently upbeat, reveling in Napa's image as "the heartbeat of American winemaking," and even Kushman marvels at how polite everyone at the wineries is during their visits. The generous spirit extends to the detailed tasting room guide that follows the main narrative, where about the worst they'll say is that the service in a popular place gets slow during busy hours. So the ratings won't tell tourists if one tasting room is better than another, but they do offer a workable idea of what to expect at each venue. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From the Back Cover
A ROLLICKING WINE COUNTRY TRAVELOGUE
Plus, Get the Lowdown on 141 Napa Tasting Rooms, From Top-Name Wineries to Hidden Gems
Hank Beal is a wine pro—the executive wine buyer at an upscale supermarket chain. Rick Kushman is an ordinary Joe—a guy who loves wine, but doesn't know a lot about it. Together, they set out to visit all 141 public tasting rooms in Napa during the course of a season. The result is A Moveable Thirst—an engaging, often hilarious book that's part Sideways, part Wine For Dummies, and part Frommer's.
The first half recounts their uproarious adventures on the road as Rick learns to swirl, sniff, and spit . . . but can't stop asking stupid questions. The second part offers the most comprehensive and detailed guide ever published to Napa's wine rooms, with incisive information on everything from service and atmosphere to tasting tools and picnic prospects. Complete with invaluable tasting tips, it's the only book you need to map out your own Napa Valley wine adventure.
NAPA KNOW-HOW ON THE GO
- Learn from Hank's patient expertise and Rick's often-naive but relentlessly enthusiastic questions as they make their way around Napa tasting rooms
- Find out how to charm the servers (hint: never, ever quote from Sideways),encourage generous pours, learn about wine, and have fun
- Pick up essential wine-tasting dos and don'ts, from "Carry a cooler. Don't cook your wine" to "Eat. Seriously, eat"
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A Moveable Thirst is a funny and very informative look at wine tasting in the Napa Wine Country. For those of you who love wine, Rick Kushman has the unique ability to make you feel like you are in the tasting room, walking around - meeting people and completely enjoying yourself.
This is a must read for veteran wine lovers as well as those who would like to learn to taste and appreciate great wine. Kushman and Beal are hilarious as they tour the famous through the obscure. I can't wait to follow some of their footprints.
This is a must read for veteran wine lovers as well as those who would like to learn to taste and appreciate great wine. Kushman and Beal are hilarious as they tour the famous through the obscure. I can't wait to follow some of their footprints.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Al Muto
Format:Paperback
My wife and I used the book on our trip. It is a wonderful tool and is entertaining as well. You felt like you had insider info on winereis and the people who work there. I hope they do a book on Sonoma, Central California and Oregon
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
By far, this is the one that will have a lasting shelf/glove compartment life. It is written in such a whimsical and witty style that you can't help but turn the pages for more. Pour yourself a glass and enjoy this celebration of wine, celebration and discovery!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Napa Valley and more
These two guys do a great service to visitors to the California Wine Country!
Entertaining and informative. A must read before you visit!!
Entertaining and informative. A must read before you visit!!
Published 2 months ago by Jerry D. With
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book on Napa Wineries
"A Moveable Thirst" is a great book on the wineries of Napa Valley. It is a very comprehensive review of the wineries of Napa Valley that were open when it was published in 2007. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Judge
5.0 out of 5 stars
perfect for planning a trip to Napa
I was looking for a comprehensive book on the Napa wineries and this book is perfect. It gives straight forward information on the atmoshere, hours, costs, and website for all the... Read more
Published on April 28, 2010 by J. schoner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must have for a trip to Napa
Very detailed and spot on review of tasting rooms across Napa. We lived in the area for two years and would take this handy guide on our weekend adventures to Napa. Read more
Published on February 8, 2010 by Thomas A. Reppart
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read and valuable resourse.
I had given up on Napa as too commercial but this book has renewed my interest and I will focus on Napa when I come to CA in April.
Published on September 25, 2009 by Wesley R. Day
5.0 out of 5 stars
Movable Thirst Review
Best wine book I ever read. Captures the true essence of the wine making industry, and wine itself, completely and without the usual ethereal hyperbole.
Published on January 6, 2009 by SC
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funniest Wine Book Written
What a funny book. A 12 month journey visiting all wine tasting rooms in NAPA. Not a review of the wines, but a review of the tasting rooms. Read more
Published on June 14, 2008 by Michael A. Stith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Informative and Engaging Read
I loved this book! Not only is A Moveable Thirst an informative read, it was a pleasure to read. The writing mirrors the rollicking ride these two authors obviously enjoyed while... Read more
Published on June 2, 2008 by Maria Kniestedt
3.0 out of 5 stars
Moveable Thirst
I wasn't sure what to expect when I bought it. I didn't like it. It's really for someone who likes to or wants to tour Napa wineries. Read more
Published on May 27, 2008 by B. Aldrich
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Everyman's Guide to the Wine Country
This book is a humorous narrative and guide to most of the wineries in Napa Valley written from the perspective of a person who likes wine, but hasn't adopted the artificial habits... Read more
Published on May 10, 2008 by Sheryl Gonzalez
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