Thirsty Work (Paperback)

by Matt Skinner (Author) "YOU'RE OUT AT A RESTAURANT and, as if by magic, the wine list appears in your hand..." (more)
Key Phrases: fresh acidity, wine scene, natural acidity, Cabernet Sauvignon, New World, Mother Nature (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Skinner is the wine manager of Fifteen, the London restaurant run by Jamie Oliver. With Oliver's name appearing twice on the front cover (and thrice on the back cover of the review copy), Skinner appears to be grabbing his friend's apron strings and hoping to ride this occasionally interesting treatise on wine up the bestseller list. In an overly conscious effort to avoid sounding snobbish or pretentious, "awesome" and "mind-blowing" become adjectives of choice while authoritativeness sometimes gives way to bad puns or too simple declaratives: "Talk about keeping it in the family. Pinot Blanc is the distant love child of Pinot Gris." There are six essential chapters. "Basics" could be called Grapes 101, while "Toolbox" is an explanation of how to use the nose, mouth and eyes in wine appreciation, and "Fruit" provides brief, useful descriptions for dozens of wines, with each entry including a phonetic pronunciation, followed by musings on the style and taste of the wine, as well as a somewhat random "f.y.i." paragraph (e.g., we learn that Merlot is "an incredibly 'gluggable' variety"). The remaining chapters cover the growing of grapes, how various wines are actually made and a nicely thought-out geographical survey of all the major wine regions. Photos. (Oct.)
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Review
"Wine is a bit like music or art. What you and I like might be two completely different things, but at the end of the day neither one of us is right, we just have different tastes.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (October 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762425334
• ISBN-13: 978-0762425334
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #854,653 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Armchair Afficianados, May 6, 2007

By	Steven D. Ward "Editor" (Seoul, South Korea) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've just recently become interested in wine and I'm trying to learn enough to keep up with my girlfriend. I spotted this book when I was with her at the Seoul Wine Expo and picked it up.

Aside from being happy to find a decent introductory book about wine in English, I thought the book was a very accessible read that didn't overwhelm too much. I'm sure I'll re-read parts of it in the near future as I try more wines.

I have just two criticisms. 1: it could use a little more substantive information, but overall I thought it struck a nice balance. The design of the book and the pictures helped to create an enticing feeling towards wine in general that helped me to want to go out and experience more. 2) I found the writing style of the book artificial in some places. I appreciate that the author wants the book to be accessible and not snobby at all, but the jokes seemed forced except in a couple places, where I did laugh at them. It could also be a cultural difference though.

If you're looking for a comprehensive guide that's going to teach you everything, this probably isn't the right book for you. But if you're brand new to wine, like me, and want to learn what you can without getting overwhelmed, then this is a good start I think. I'm happy with the purchase even though I paid a significant mark up on the other side of the planet from where it was published.

4.0 out of 5 stars Matt Skinner knows his stuff!, January 9, 2009

By	Gabrielle Streater (Hunter Valley, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Thirsty Work: Love Wine Drink Better (Paperback)

I'm in the wine industry and it's an overwhelming breath of fresh air that Matt Skinner breathes into this very old tradition of winemaking and appreciation. "Thirsty Work" is a cheeky, fresh but intelligent overview of wine production, sytles and culture. I bought 2 copies through Amazon, one to keep and one to give away. I could have given away 15! This is such an interesting and informative, yet an easy read. It's great to see the art of wine appreciation being accessible to the younger generation through this happy book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Light, pleasant, and full of information for novice, July 18, 2008

By	Clemence (NYC, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thirsty Work: Love Wine Drink Better (Paperback)

Very interesting for novice people. If you know already about wine you wont learn anything with this book since it is very basic information. But if you dont know that much or a little, this is a good book to start with. I like the way things are very well explained in a funny and pleasant style.

Another good point of the book that should be more mentioned are the great pictures! Although I would have liked less of the author and more of wine, lanscapes, cellars etc etc.

I would definitely recommend it to anybody who wants to learn about wine but wants to start very smoothly.