Have one to sell? Sell yours here
The Oxford Companion to Wine
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

The Oxford Companion to Wine [Hardcover]

Jancis Robinson (Editor)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover $40.54  
Hardcover, November 17, 1994 --  
Paperback --  
There is a newer edition of this item:
The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition 4.8 out of 5 stars (73)
$40.54
In Stock.

Book Description

November 17, 1994
There has never been a book like The Oxford Companion to Wine. From the novice to the connoisseur, wine lovers will be enlightened, informed and enchanted by this delightful one-volume guide to the world of wine. Beautifully designed and unrivalled in its scope, it is edited under the keen supervision of Jancis Robinson, heralded by The Wine Advocate as "perhaps the most gifted of all wine writers writing today," and one of the few journalists to pass the notoriously difficult Master of Wine exams. Going deeper than traditional buyer's guides and wine atlases, the Companion sought out contributions and advice from more than 70 authorities from around the world, including more than a dozen Masters of Wine. Its 3,000 alphabetically arranged entries range from brief entries--What is a blanc de noirs? Where is Chateau Latour?--to fascinating longer essays on the intricacies of wine scoring, wine aging, and the nuances of judging a wine's color, aroma and flavor. The sumptuous illustrations include 32 stunning full color plates and 31 maps of every major wine region.
As readable as it is comprehensive, the Companion recognizes wine in all its many roles--as a commercial commodity, as a complex and subtle work of art, and, of course, as a source of great pleasure. Ranging from Abruzzi and armagnac to Zimbabwe and Zinfandel, from Dionysian revels in ancient Greece to today's leading wine research centers, the entries explore all aspects of wine appreciation, the wine trade, and wine-making, including the very latest advances in viticulture and enology. All technical terms are fully explained, and the hundreds of useful drawings and photographs illustrate key processes. From the Napa Valley to Burgundy to China's Shandung peninsula, here are in-depth discussions of the climates, personalities, and grape varieties that have shaped the great wine regions of the world. Other single subject entries include the great winemakers, vintner's terms, hundreds of individual grape varieties, and some of the important names in the wine world, including American wine judge Robert Parker, and Michael Broadbent, head of Christie's Wine Department.
The Companion's stellar cast of contributors and consultants include wine correspondents, judges, wine merchants, historians, practical scientists, specialists from some of the world's leading institutions for the study of wine, including Professor A. Dinsmoor Webb of the University of California at Davis, and even a barrel broker. Other contributors include American wine educator and writer Harriet Lembeck, Thomas Pinney, author of A History of Wine in America, and Zelma Long, President of Simi Winery and the second woman ever to enroll in the Department of Enology at Davis.
Destined to become the ultimate reference on wine and wine-making, The Oxford Companion to Wine is the perfect volume to enhance a lifetime's enjoyment of the beverage Ernest Hemingway called "one of the most civilized things in the world."

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With more than 3,000 entries on every aspect of wine from vine pests to specific grapes, this hefty tome has something for both the seasoned connoisseur and novice alike. Edited by one of today's premier wine columnists, the work covers all aspects of wine, travelling back in time to early Greece to examine wine's role in Dionysian revels, then returning to today's wine centers to explore all aspects of wine appreciation. A full third of the book is dedicated to specific wines and wine-producing regions. All those technical terms you've heard and puzzled over at tastings are clearly explained, making this the perfect reference for newcomers to the world of oenology.

For the true connoisseur, The Oxford Companion offers detailed information on the history of the vintner's art, as well as a plethora of details on everything from climate effects on vine disease to the function of the second malolactic fermentation. If you buy only one wine book, this should be it.

From Library Journal

This essential addition to reference collections breaks new ground. Unlike the excellent works by Alexis Lichine (e.g., Alexis Lichine's Guide to the Wines and Vineyards of France, Knopf, 1989. 4th ed.) or Hugh Johnson (e.g., Vintage, S. & S., 1992), which are standard sources on the growing, buying, drinking, tasting, and enjoying of wine, this work broadens the discussion to "less obvious topics, such as animals (their function as vine pests), auctions, the specific influence of the British, and Australians, on the world of wine, fashion, fraud, global overproduction, wine in literature and art, and the role of water throughout wine production." About 3000 alphabetically arranged entries range from the most familiar topics, such as "California," to the quite obscure (e.g., "Xynisteri," a white grape grown on Cyprus). Yet those less interested in the esoterica of wine will surely find the information they seek, as about 70 percent of the book is concerned with specific wines and areas of wine production. There is also practical guidance on such matters as serving wine and matching the right wine with the right food. Editor Robinson, who writes regularly for the Wine Spectator, is widely respected for her taste and abilities. Here she assembles an international cast of over 70 experts. Since only a small number are from the United States and since many may be unfamiliar to the average American reader, this work is also valuable as a kind of directory of authorities on wine-related subjects. While erudite, this book is not dry; historical anecdotes abound. The text is complemented by over 250 fascinating illustrations, which include an aroma wheel, maps, a red wine-making chart, labels, a varietal geneaology, a wine-tasting sheet used by judges, and more. This book, which offers something for everyone, is highly recommended.
Wendy Miller, Lexington P.L., Ky.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 1136 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1ST edition (November 17, 1994)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0198661592
  • ISBN-13: 978-0198661597
  • Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 2.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.6 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,652,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jancis Robinson, OBE and Master of Wine is one of the world's leading authorities on wine, voted the Wine Writers' Writer by her peers in The Observer. The first person outside the wine trade to have passed the notoriously tough Master of Wine exams, she is now the wine columnist for the Financial Times and writes a regular column for publications in ten countries on five continents. She is known to millions as a television presenter on wine and food, and wrote and presented the award-winning 10-part Jancis Robinson's Wine Course, shown around the world in the late 1990s. She currently spends the majority of her time writing for her website www.jancisrobinson.com, which has subscribers from over 70 countries.

 

Customer Reviews

73 Reviews
5 star:
 (60)
4 star:
 (11)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (73 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

131 of 134 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars *The* reference for anyone who enjoys wine, October 26, 2000
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
Some reference books sit on the shelf, forgotten, hoping to be used someday in the future when someone has a desperate need to know how to calculate the third log value of an arctangent.

This book is as far removed from that fate as a Petrus is from a White Zinfandel!

At least once a week I have opened up this gorgeous wine tome and looked up the answer to a question, or read more about a particular wine I was enjoying. With over 3,000 entries to choose from, you can explore the ancient roots of wine in Iraq and Egypt, or learn about new vine-growing techniques winemakers are using in Washington State. The information is clearly written, well illustrated, and not overly technical.

Jancis Robinson, the editor of the tome, is well known in the industry for her knowledge and fluency in wines of all types. Combine her amazing knowledge with fantastic photographs of each wine region, and even reviews of various personalities in wine, and you have a book that you'll keep on the coffee table and actually read often! Be warned - you can lose guests in its pages for hours.

The book is great for a beginner. Confused about Beaujolais Nouveau? Want to know how a White Zinfandel differs from a Red Zinfandel? The Oxford Companion to Wine has clear, concise descriptions of all wine types, explaining their histories, their characteristics, and where they're found now.

The Companion is also a boon for experienced drinkers. It goes into the fine details of how wines are grown, and how various winemakers use different techniques to bring out the best in their particular grapes. There are maps of wine regions, and insights into what makes certain wines unique.

Great as a gift for your favorite wine drinker, but buy one for yourself, too! The book is a wonderful reference tool to have around the house. With its lovely photos of France, Italy, and Spain, it serves as a wine-lovers guide to places to visit or dream about, and wines to drink while doing so. Highly recommended as the only wine book you should ever need.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


71 of 75 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An Exhaustive (but not exhausting) Wine Reference, December 16, 1999
The sheer breadth of what this astounding book offers is almost too good to be true. I just started out learning about wine and I wish this had been the first book I cracked open. Jancis Robinson shows her immense talent as an editor and should be commended. If you're learning about wine, this is the book to get. If you already know about wine, get it anyway. You won't reget the purchase.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


40 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The best wine reference book in existence, July 14, 2000
As a wine industry professional and card-carrying wine geek I can say that this is the single best wine reference book out there. If you're a beginner look elsewhere, but if you're someone who needs to know the grape parentage of Huxelrebe or the history of Chateauneuf du Pape then this is the book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
ABBOCCATO, Italian for medium sweet (less sweet than AMABILE) or, literally, 'palatable' from bocca or 'mouth'. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
viticultural climates, dried grape wines, planted vine variety, red wine appellation, planted white grape variety, botrytized wines, healthy vine growth, white grape variety most, total vineyard area, extended bottle ageing, final alcoholic strength, cask ageing, barrel maturation, vine breeding, cane ripening, cool wine regions, most important wine producer, naturel appellation, organic wine production, vine dormancy, vintage assessment, vine physiology, vine pull schemes, canopy management techniques, black grape variety
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Cabernet Sauvignon, New York, New Zealand, New World, Sauvignon Blanc, United States, South Africa, Cabernet Franc, Middle Ages, Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Second World War, South Australia, Ugni Blanc, Napa Valley, North America, Pinot Gris, Muscat of Alexandria, South America, General Viticulture, New South Wales, San Francisco, Chianti Classico, Hunter Valley, North Africa
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:




What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 
(135)
(22)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
Oxford Companion vs Wine Bible 0 Aug 31, 2009
See all discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
   
Related forums





Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:








i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...