The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, First Edition [Hardcover]

Tom Stevenson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1997

Authoritative, international, and up to date, The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia is arranged geographically and combines nearly 100 detailed maps with information on all wine-growing areas, profiles of top producers and assessments of individual wines. The book's easy-reference style and tremendous breadth of information, make it an unrivaled source of wine information for both beginners and wine buffs. Distinguished wine authority Tom Stevenson examines the viticultural history if each winemaking country, discussing its wine-producing regions and the current reputation of its wines. He analyzes the factors affecting the taste and quality of each region's wines -- location, aspect, soil, microclimates, grape varieties, and methods of viticulture and vinification -- before assessing its appellations, the individual wine producers (chateaux or wineries), and, of course, the wines themselves. Tom Stevenson provides practical guidelines on wine tasting, while an "author's choice" chart at the end of each section lists the very best wines. A star-rating system identifies the finest producers and highlights those offering the best value. A taste chart explains how to identify the flavors in a wine, and a troubleshooter's guide spots common wine flaws. Whether you are a newcomer wanting to explore the pleasures of wine or a wine enthusiast looking for inspiration, The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia is the book to consult again and again.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you want to learn about wines of the world and advance your comprehension of wine production, grape varieties, appellations, and individual wineries, understand the factors (such as location, soil, climate, and methods of viticulture) that affect the taste and nose, and visit your wine shop with a list of quality wines to explore, Tom Stevenson is the man to read. Author of 12 books (including Champagne and The Millennium Champagne & Sparkling Wine Guide), three-time winner of the Wine Writer of the Year award, and columnist for Wine magazine, Stevenson has the gift of taking vast quantities of knowledge and experience and translating them into lucid, sparkling prose, easily graspable by the novice, yet still interesting and instructive to the connoisseur.

Arranged geographically, with nearly 100 maps, profiles on top producers, and valuable Author's Choice charts for each region, the Wine Encyclopedia covers the wines of Europe (from Great Britain and Switzerland to Southeast Europe, Greece, and the Levant), as well as wines from North and South Africa, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. In addition, there's a guide to wine and food (pairing fois gras with a Champagne or Sauterne, for example, and claret or Cabernet Sauvignon with beef), a guide to wine flavors (making sense of descriptors such as fig, gooseberry, violet, and hay), a list of good vintages, and a glossary of tasting and technical terms, distinguishing "cheesy" and "chewy" from "creamy" and "corked." Enhanced by beautiful pictures of vineyards, wine labels, and Stevenson himself demonstrating the art of wine tasting, from examining and nosing the wine to spitting it out, this a visually beautiful as well as an informative volume. As sumptuous as an elegant Tuscan Barolo, as rewarding as a Sarget de Gruaud-Larose from Bordeaux, as pleasing as a Ferreira port, the Sotheby Wine Encyclopedia is a remarkable tome of oenological erudition. --Stephanie Gold

From Library Journal

DK's offerings are nearly unrivaled for clarity, design, authority, and superb organization, and this newest title maintains the same high standard, making it easy to find information. This updated edition of Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia (1988) has been expanded from 480 to 600 pages. The introduction covers "factors affecting taste and quality," with excellent discussions on assessing and tasting wine, vine training, and soil ("rock-speak"); the glossary on grape varieties is a condensed dead ringer for Jancis Robinson's Vine, Grapes, and Wines (1986. o.p.). The body of the work is divided by country, region, or continent, then further by appellations or areas. Lavish maps, illustrations, and photographs impart sensuality to these minilessons, and each important geographical chunk ends with a list of recommended wines, called "author's choice." Stevenson is an internationally respected expert (thrice "Wine Writer of the Year") who brooks little departure from tradition. For example, when rating wines (his system ranges from 1 to 3 stars), he rarely assigns a three to outstanding wines outside of France. Among his recommendations are many available and affordable choices, yet in uncompromising fashion, he suggests that the budget alternative to champagne with caviar should be mineral water. An essential purchase for wine collections.?Wendy Miller, Lexington P.L., Ky.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 600 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789420791
• ISBN-13: 978-0789420794
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.1 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,174,780 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Feast For Oenophiles, September 21, 2005

By 

Jonathan Appleseed - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, Third Edition (Hardcover)

When I first reviewed this book, I must have been on crack. I gave it four stars, but accused it of leaving out "almost unforgivable" information. Looking through it again, I'm shaking my head, wondering if I was looking at a different book, perhaps Curious George, or Fox on Socks. The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia has information that is unavailable in any other credible book on wine.

This reference is AMAZING, and belongs on every wine lover's bookshelf, even if you have The Oxford Companion to Wine, The World Atlas of Wine, Ox Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes, and others. Many of the maps included in this book are superior to those found in The World Atlas of Wine (strangely odd), and nowhere can you find a more comprehensive listing of major wine producers. Every wine making country in the world is covered (as far as I know), and that is something lacking in other references. I don't mean to knock other references, but each reference has a slightly different slant, each provides information that the other doesn't. To me, this book, along with the aforementioned books, completes an unsurpassed reference quadrology.

If you're an oenophile, or a wannabe oenophile, you need this book on your shelf.

I offer my sincere apologies to the author for my earlier review.

Amazon's policies will not allow me to change the rating, but make no mistake: this is a five star book.

41 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars New Guide is Not So New, August 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, Third Edition (Hardcover)

I bought the 1997 (or brown covered) encyclopedia a few years back (which I love by the way) and decided to purchase the updated version to find new and updated information such as new wineries or ones that were upcoming and warranted coverage in the new book. I am so dissapointed. The only change I could find is a box containing information on wine quality from 1997 to 2000. Tom Stevenson didn't even change one word in his cover letter! Even the page numbers in each book have the same information! The winery ratings didn't change - or not from what I could tell. Unless I can actually see what's inside the next version, I will never purchase an version again. If you own an earlier version, do not purchase this book - it's a waste of money.

I rated it 2 stars, not because of the content, but because it is not updated as the cover indicates (see red circle). I do however question just how much Tom Stevenson puts into research with each book edition if nothing c

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful overview of wine regions & producers, March 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, First Edition (Hardcover)

This book does a wonderful job of describing the various wine regions of the world, what styles the regions are known for, and who the major producers are. Although it would be too hard to outline specific vintages, the book does highlight specific varietals, cuvees, etc. that each producer is known for. A better all-around information book than Hugh Johnson's Atlas, in my opinion. Makes a good companion to a rating guide by Clarke, Johnson, or Parker.