The New Short Course in Wine [Paperback]

Lynn Hoffman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0131186361 | ISBN-13: 978-0131186361 | Publication Date: March 9, 2006

It's no surprise that every year, more Americans are discovering the pleasures of wine. Many of these new enthusiasts will be the first ones in their families to be wine-lovers and so they will have thousands of questions about wine. They will be in the position of recent immigrants in a strange and fabulous country. There are new words, strange customs and a bewildering variety of choices. The New Short Course in Wine is their guidebook. This is a book about the history, the science, the business and the pleasure of wine. It assumes that the reader is smart and curious. It is a first book for aspiring professionals in the hospitality business and it may be the right book for everybody else. It is not a book for Compete Idiots, but it might be the book for people who are tired of being treated like Dummies. The New Short Course in Wine assumes that along with learning about wine, readers want to have fun with it. The simple fact is that pleasure is good for you: it's a vitamin for the soul. Refined pleasures are better still: they engage your brain and tend, on the whole, to become more delightful as the years go on. What is claimed for virtue is more truly said of pleasures: they are their own reward. Taste centered: Readers learn about the fun and excitement of wine and then learn about the history, typologies and winemaking. Author steers clear of lists (wine brands, distributors, drinks) and focuses on practical information to aid the learner in general wine knowledge. Conversation writing style!  This book is intended for new connoisseurs, as well as "aged" aficionados of wine, who are seeking an understanding and deeper appreciation of the culture and context of the most civilized and important libation. Individuals seeking to understand the concept of creating this powerful beverage, as well as the symbolism behind its creation will find this book helpful.

 

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lynn Hoffman currently teaches at the Wine School of Philadelphia and has written a weekly wine column for the Philadelphia Daily News and restaurant reviews for Philadelphia Magazine. He founded the world-renowned culinary arts program at Drexel University and has been a Scholar in Residence in Food and Culture for thirteen years. He is actively involved in the world of wine and spirits which include leading tastings for commercial client tasting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall (March 9, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131186361
• ISBN-13: 978-0131186361
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,316,439 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for the new wine drinker!, August 21, 2006

By 

Janet A. Chrzan (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The New Short Course in Wine (Paperback)

Have you ever wondered what the so-called 'experts' were up to when they defined a wine as 'grassy yet herbaceous' or 'palate pleasing and with a long nose'? Have you ever gazed in horror at a far-too-lengthy wine list at a restaurant and wondered what to do? Well, this book won't answer those questions directly but will teach you how to teach yourself about all of these wine issues - and more. This is a simple, easy-to-read, and completely devoid of pretension manual on enjoying wine. In fact, it's decidedly irreverent, which is a pleasant change from the usual wine book. It's also thorough in coverage of differing types of wine, wine-making, and how to train the palate to enjoy wine. This book de-mystifies wine beautifully, and as such it's a perfect beginning manual to appreciation. I am going to recommend it to my students in my Medical Anthropology of Alcohol class, since it provides both history as well as practical learning. It's an ideal introduction to wine for students and the curious of all ages.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fine wine made easy, March 17, 2006

By 

J R Lankford "jilla1" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The New Short Course in Wine (Paperback)

If you've ever taken a sip of wine and were at a loss to describe the wonderful aromas in your nose and tastes in your mouth -- much less know how to locate such a gem on a wine menu -- this book is for you.

I first saw it in draft form and would have published it at Great Reads Books if Prentice Hall hadn't. Don't miss Lynn's New Short Course in Wine.

It's not only short and to the point, it's fun to read and you'll close the book an expert.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars see, swirl, sniff, sip, and swallow, May 7, 2006

By 

Brigitte Steger (Vienna, Austria) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The New Short Course in Wine (Paperback)

What's wine? - Having had a bit of it during the past quarter century or so, the question with which this lovely little book starts, never had occurred to me. Sure, wine is made of grapes, I knew that. But what Hoffman has to tell about wine, and the role it has played in our civilization was really fascinating.

I personally got the book because I wanted to know how to taste wine like the professionals do and to sound really sophisticated: "This cuvee has a thick cherry nose with a distracting streak of green pepper and raw alcohol. I really enjoy the incredible density in the palate. And the tannins on the finish! Oh, how well it goes with this spicy and fatty lamb steak!"
So I went to my wine shelve, opened a bottle of Burgenland Blaufraenkisch (it's even mentioned in the book!), and followed the instructions: see, swirl, sniff, sip. then I chose for swallow (instead of the alternative spitting), had some aftertastes and afterthoughts. Hoffman's New Taster's Checklist helped me to go through my Blaufraenkisch and then through my St. Laurent-Zweigelt cuvee, but it was hard to decide, was this some almond taste or other nuts?
So I needed quite a lot of sips. There was definitely some black pepper, at little mushroomy note. I figured that it was a bit hard on the toast and had strong tannins, but with some more swirling and a piece of Bergkaese, which I tried as suggested, I felt really high.
I experimented using the different glasses (by the way, Riedel is best, and not because I am an Austrian patriot. Surprisingly though, the cheap water glasses came in second, long before the old cute wine glasses my grandparents had gotten when they married), and I must admit that I can't remember what it said in the chapter on alcohol and moderation. I really recommend this book, you get what you need to know and you get it quickly.