Wine Appreciation (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Although experts disagree as to the exact origin of the term, many scholars now identify the Hittite script wee-an as the first "wine" word recorded,..." (more)
Key Phrases: vintners operating, winegrowing commune, winegrowing village, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Grand Cru (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

So many comprehensive wine guides crowd the market that it's difficult to distinguish among them. Starting with the chemical reactions that turn sugars to alcohol and gas, Vine outlines the scientific fundamentals of wine production. His botanical guide to the many varieties of grapevines helps the reader comprehend why wine stores offer their customers such a bewildering assortment of bottles. The obligatory nation-by-nation indexing of each country's viticultural output fills much of the volume's bulk. Vine does not fall into the jejune trap of elevating Old World wines above contemporary American offerings, and he devotes plenty of space to burgeoning Australian production. Vine's guidebook suffers from a gawky prose style, but its wealth of data on the scientific principles underlying wine production and the extensive history of wine consumption make it suitable for library collections needing an updated wine guide. Mark Knoblauch

Product Description

Professional wine consultant Richard Vine offers an in-depth look into wines, wine making, wine varieties, wine appreciation, and wines throughout the world.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471153966
• ISBN-13: 978-0471153962
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #852,422 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well thought out and organized., June 2, 2003

By	J. D. Pizanti "Dymaxion13" (Eastern WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I took Dr. Vine's class at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. His book is quite thorough, from the scientific principles of fermentation and how wine gets its color, to the historical influence of Charlemagne, to pragmatic instruction in how to read a label and properly serve wine. There is so much information on wine, it is key that the book is well organized. Focuses on a different wine region of the world including France, Germany, US, etc. in enough detail to be useful, but not so much as to bore the casual reader. Not snobbish in the least, the information is presented in a way that it is quite easy to absorb and retain.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Indepth, December 15, 2005

By	Neal A. Clark (Lowell, AR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I also took Dr. Vine's class at Purdue and worked for his enologist, Ellie Harkness. Dr. Vine's knowledge goes beyond just academic as he was the director of the largest wine lab in California. This book gives great insight about not just wine, but about how it is produced and why grapes growing on a hill are better than on flat land (struggling vine theory). I would recommend this book for anyone really interested in wine and the wine industry.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best one-volume guide to wine, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

Though designed as a college textbook, this guide is comprehensive enough to satisfy any general reader. It's written with insight and clarity, and sensitively guides the reader into an appreciation of one of the oldest and respected arts of civilization.