Customer Reviews

The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is unique among wine guides, and I've read many of them. It de-mystifies the sometimes esoteric and snobbish world of wine while it both educates and entertains. The enthusiasm of Brecher and Gaiter permeates every page and is infectious. The book doesn't purport to be comprehensive or scholarly, nor are the authors hung up on Robert Parker-style rankings. They're too busy enjoying themselves, and isn't that what wine should really be about?

This is a great book for people like me who enjoyed wine but knew next to nothing about the subject. It's a quick read but very informative and entertaining. I can now walk into a wine shop and not be as intimidated. This book leaves you very excited to try different varieties of wine! This is a book I would recommend.

Brecher and Gaiter may be the luckiest journalists alive. They were able to make their hobby into an integral part of their career in a way that seems to enhance the hobby itself. Neat trick.

In what is essentially an expansion of their weekly WSJ column, Brecher and Gaiter offer warm, unintimidating advice on a variety of wine-related subjects. Reading this book reminds me of the particular joys of learning about wine. There is no downside here. The more you know about what you're pouring, the more you'll enjoy it.

One thing you'll notice is that since this book was published in 1999, the wines listed are pretty much no longer available. As sad as this is (it'd be great to duplicate some of their tastings), this isn't a book that was really about recommending specific wines. Rather, it serves as a reminder that the whole point of wine drinking is the experience.

A wonderful resource for a novice or expert, this book manages to convey the pleasure that is possible in wine appreciation.

I have purchased a few books on wine, only to throw them down in disgust due to the "high-snobbery" factor. Alas, Gaiter and Brecher have written a delightful book, full of personal anecdotes, tips, and tastings. There is nothing worse than the myth that the aura of wine need be intimidating to be enjoyed. Brecher and Gaiter share their passion for wine in a way that makes you want to run out and buy wine by the case. It's a book that makes you downright comfortable ordering a glass of wine to go with your grilled cheese sandwich (I'd suggest a riesling.) I wish more authors would put the delight they find in the enjoyment of wine into their writing. If you don't know anything about wine, or if you know everything about wine, you'll be bound to enjoy this book.

If you love Dottie and John's column in the WSJ on Friday, get this book. If you don't read the column, then get the book and start reading the column. It's full of great information for wine beginners and those who have just a hint of wine snobbery. They helped me with fresh and creative ways to enjoy wine and answer all the basic questions, like what wine goes with this food, or what bottle should I bring to so and so's party.

This book is an encouragement to enjoy wine without intimidation or snobbery. That's a good thing. It isn't really a guide, though; it's a compilation of their wine-friendly articles from the WSJ, not in any way a reference work. Don't buy this as a reference work.

I have been a wine connoisseur for 30 years, and have read many books on wine. If you could have only one book on the shelf about wine, I would recommend The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine! This guide is thoroughly enjoyable and contained just the right mix of tasting notes, helpful information, history and anecdotes. I feel it has something to offer to wine lovers at every level of experience, and I purchased many gift copies for friends and family. I eagerly await the authors' next edition.

I saw John and Dorothy on Martha Stewart, and after watching them for 10 minutes decided to try their book. The book is well-organized and the stories are enjoyable - even if you don't like wine. I knew nothing of wine (except that there was white and red!), but now that I've read this book, I can attempt to pick a great wine at the store! Recommended if you'd like to get into wine or just learn more.

I don't consider myself dumb. I'd like to think I'm not totally unsophisticated. But for years, each time I made the mistake of reading about wine, I came away thinking of myself as a classless cretin. The result: I went out of my way to avoid wine.

If only John and Dottie had been writing about wine years ago -- I hate to think what I've missed. For the first time in my life, I've become a devoted reader of a wine column -- theirs, in the WSJ. More importantly, because of them, I've discovered the joys of wine. Their inviting and informative style, captured so well in this and their later books, gave me the courage to trust my own opinions and to become more adventurous in my selections. They combine deep experience with a refreshing absence of snobbery -- they tell me all I need to know, and let me do the rest.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book -- without question, the best of its kind.

Being a novice in the wine arena, I wanted a book to help me navigate such daunting stores as Sam's Wines in Chicago (a home depot of wine) - and this book did the trick. While the recommendations are sufficient, the book leaves you wanting to try and sample wines intelligently.