Customer Reviews

A Year of Wine: Perfect Pairings, Great Buys, and What to Sip for Each Season

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Tyler Colman, aka "Dr. Vino", does a very nice job of covering the major types of varietals and key wine regions in the world in this book. The book takes the point of view of matching up wines with the seasons which makes sense as people tend to like certain styles and flavors based on the season.

The style of writing is easy reading but does have plenty of useful content for a wide range of people's wine knowledge. Each seasons/months entries include recommended wines, wineries, regions and some useful trips to enjoying wine such as how to chill a bottle of wine in 5 minutes. He also has entries from various sommeliers for each season/month so you have several points of view on the topics being discussed for the season. He includes most of the latest topics in the wine world -- retail, production and collecting.

The books makes me want to read "Dr. Vino" blog regularly and I make wine for a living! The organization of the book is well thought out and visually appealing to read.

If you are interesting in get a well-rounded overview of the wine world and what varietals are hot right now, I would strongly suggest that you read this book with bottle of your favorite wine! Who knows you might get inspired to try some new wines!

For all the wine books I've read or flipped thought this one resonates with me. It's not a book for the absolute beginner and it's not a book for the wine sommelier but if like most people you drink a couple of bottles of wine a month this is aimed at you. It's a good book if you are interested in learning a bit more about the array of bottles on the shelf in your favorite wine store.

The book is organized to take you through a year of wine drinking. It's set up by month and season with a push toward drinking what makes sense for the time of year, the meal, the occasion and the crowd. It's not a book to answer XYZ fish = ABC White Wine but helps you through thinking about what would you like to serve, who's drinking it, what time of year, day, are you eating inside or outside and makes it seem easy.

The book reads like a collection of articles or blogs and as such it isn't a book that I think most folks will read in one sitting. I think you pick it up flip though, read a couple of the things that catch you eye and put it down. I did appreciate the list of wine terms in the back and some of the lists of what wines are good in certain regions cheat sheet Dr. Vino provides.

Overall I found it to be a good book and have added it to the stack of reference cookbooks in the kitchen, I'm sure it won't disappoint!

Before receiving this book I was not familiar with the author's blog so I found myself pleasantly surprised with this book. It takes you through a year of wine with suggestions about what to drink throughout the year. His recommendations are rooted in the idea that so much of what affects the wine drinking experience is the circumstances around it. He makes the point that a fine bottle of wine drank on vacation say in Italy will never taste the same at home in the US so it's about pairing wine with the circumstances and company. I thought this was an interesting take. However, it doesn't mean he throws all conventional lessons out the door. Despite sharing his unique take, he still manages to share more conventional basic knowledge that I appreciated. Even though I really enjoy drinking wine and going to wine tastings I admit I don't know as much as I would like and this book helped to fill in the gaps.

Although the approach mentioned above of recommending wine for the circumstances and time of year is unique, it was his tone of voice that really sold me. He does a good job of making learning about wine approachable, and yet still coming off as credible. This is a tough balancing act and he masters it well. I didn't realize how much I appreciated this until I found myself WANTING to read it while on the stationary bike at the gym. So many reference books about wine, cheese, or other culinary topics are very dry and encyclopedic. That is, the kind of book you would reference if you had a specific question, but that you wouldn't want to read for fun. As you might have guessed from my taking it to the gym, this is not true with A Year of Wine: Perfect Pairings, Great Buys, and What to Sip for Each Season. It felt more like having a conversation with a close friend who is also really knowledgeable about wine.

Overall this is an excellent read and one I really enjoyed. I would highly recommend it for someone who wants to learn about wine and prefers a book they would actually pick up off the shelf and refer to rather than simply keeping around for a reference.

The major appeal of this book is Tyler Colman's focus on context. He exhorts us to think about the who, what, when, where, and why of our wine-quaffing experience. With whom were we when tasting that lovely Rhone? (Not to mention, whom were we? A college Freshman trying Blue Nun for the first time? A new parent toasting the birth of our first child? A retiree uncorking a celebratory bottle of champagne?) What was going on when we opened Dad's bottle of Vintage port? When did we have that delightful Prosecco? Where was that forgettable resort where we wasted a fabulous chianti with some lukewarm pizza? And, last but not least, how were we feeling? Did we just get sacked from our job, buy our first home, or lose half our retirement fund in an economic crisis?
To Colman, context is everything; and, I agree with him. The greatest bottle will be remembered as swill if it's downed in unpleasant circumstances.

There are a number of very reader-friendly aspects to this book: an enjoyable and elucidating "Sommelier Survey" at the end of each chapter where Dr. Vino (his alias) interviews a well respected sommelier, and side bars where Colman educates us about: Riedel stemware vs. Tritan Force, decanters, spotting fraudulent wines, sulphur allergies, and what wine goes well with chocolate (a particular favorite of mine; see chocolateratings.wordpress.com for more on that topic).

As a holistically oriented soul I was entranced by his synopsis of biodynamic wine-making inspired by Rudolph Steiner (the founder of Waldorf Schools).

A large subtext of the book is his focus on seasonality. A topic worthy of all the attention he lavishes on it, as it can make or break our experience. Who really wants a heavy Bordeaux on a hot August day?

Each of the 12 chapters homes in on the unique requirements of every month, its weather, holidays, or associations.

I enjoyed reading Tyler's accessible prose, as well as his friendly tone. His grasp of the subject is keen, and his approach refreshing. A great book for someone new to the subject.

"A Year of Wine" comes in time for the new year. He maps out wine travel, selections and other themes across your calendar. Mr. Coleman has quite a bit of information to give you. A large portion is meant for today and this year. He uncorks two guiding themes that he terms: "Call for Context" and "Drink Different". Alliteration seems not lost on this PhD (hence Dr. Vino). This guy is something of a big deal. Besides his top rated blog, he teaches (according to the jacket) wine classes at two really big deal private universities, Chicago and New York.

He takes us to his Caribbean vacation incident. He was at a "swanky" restaurant (by which he means a color-free tent with techo music, perhaps by Dieter and Der Sprokets), where he was disappointed by the big hot California reds that some see as all the rage now. He thinks they need a fireplace in the cold background. I was surprised he did not understand their ability to stand up to the strong spices of some of that cuisine, especially after sunset. Light and fruity by day is true enough, but his axe-grinding is, well, just that and not useful to the beginner.

His two themes do not play well, context and different. In Southern France, where he loves his rose wine in warm weather is perhaps his epitome of NOT "drinking different". And why French wine is less enjoyable in Chicago is beyond me. Also, the French have a long tradition of not drinking different (sic). They always like rose in warm weather and Champagne in months containing vowels.

He also confuses context with terroir, that big buzz word. I believe he knows the difference, but he is not careful enough to say. For some reason, he throws into his topic of terroir, the movie "Sideways", where it is somehow wrong to drink a 1961 Cheval Blanc in California, wronger still to have it with a hamburger and wrongest most from a styrofoam cup. Context? perhaps Terroir? never. Drinking Different? you tell me...

His writing bothers me. Many may find it lively and entertaining. Here is a line:

So let's resolve as wine drinkers to follow one of the most pervasive trends in drinking and eating today...

(Is this context? Surely it cannot be drinking different. (sic) anyway he continues:

...and add a dose of vitality and seasonality to our glasses.")

What is one to make of that utterance? I do not get much from such writing. It is not so much his ideas and his information that is bothersome; it is his careless writing, his rambling preaching and his weak organization that detract from his helpfulness. Here are the sub-sections from one of his "Flavor Profiles", under "White":

- light whites are very popular now
- midweights are more serious
- richer, fuller whites have more heft

Each has a whole paragraph of that sort of twaddle. See his section on resolving to take better tasting notes for a series of "duh" moments. Likewise wine shops. He does not cotton to supermarkets where Cliquot is $32 instead of $56.

There truly is a lot of good information for the beginner. But being a beginner does not mean that cute but sloppy presentation is more palatable. Crisp and focused presentation doe not mean ponderous writing with no humor. It does mean that wasting time and pages on "the Schlepfaktor" is distracting and can even get annoying after a few dozen pages.

More on organization:

His entry on Champagne is in the section under Winter. He points out that Champagne goes well with shellfish. He rattles-off four makers. He trails off by noting they make "non-vintage and, of course, the vintage Champagnes". He does point out that Champagne is good for festivities, and that it has "tremendous crowd appeal (I wondered if he was thinking of the Super Bowl). Then he sends us off to his section on February for the main entry.

When we get to "February for more specifics", sure enough, the first entry is for the Super Bowl. "When the Chips are Down, Don't Raise a Beer!" oh, please... At least he recommends Prosecco, not Champagne, which is the second section. And he does follow with a good discussion of grower Champagnes.

The organization of a year in seasons and months seems natural enough, but is indeed artificial and forced. For example, he shoe-horns his presentation of restaurants into May because of college graduation. Tail wags dog. So too is a trip to Oporto and some little discussion of port wines, even though most port is taken in the cooler half of the year. Summer wants Prosecco, which we just met in February. Wine accessories fall to June because of Father's Day. Recommended American makers are relegated to the 4th of July. Customs rules go to August. Travel talk, good as it may be, is scattered.

The best use of this book is to read it straight through, not as a reference book. Take it whole and go back for particulars. Expect great things from him to come.

It's an ok book for a beginner but not for anyone who is a step higher in the wine
world. You have to read through a lot of basic wine info. to get to the 'Perfect Pairing, and what to sip for each season.'

It is well written and not pretentious at all. Some good sections.

I'd give him a B- on this book.

Whatever the time of year, wine is the perfect beverage. In A YEAR OF WINE, Tyler Coleman aka Dr. Vino of the wine blog[...] , lays claim to that statement by taking the reader through the months of the year and what would be the perfect wine to serve both through the seasons and it's events. For example, use Prosecco or Reisling for the superbowl party as an alternative to beer with the chips and dip. Port and cognac for winter warmth, Chenin Blanc or Austrian Gruner Veltliner in the spring, Loire reds or a rose in the summer and in the fall, pinot noirs. The choices and varieties vary greatly. All of them are justified.
In addition, the author reviews some basic topics in drinking and enjoying wine. Interspersed with the seasonal wine selections are sections on tasting wine, how to buy and store wine, what to do with an opened bottle that you do not want to finish, even how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew. All of the information is told in an entertaining and humorous manner. This is a book to pick up and read again and again for advice, information and sheer enjoyment. Highly recommended.

Most serious readers -- and certainly most books designed to help people become serious readers -- know not to let their choices, let alone their tastes, be influenced too heavily by best-seller lists and the recommendations of various "experts." Give them the respect you think they deserve, sure, but develop your own tastes, sample widely, explore what intrigues you, and make your own choices. Maybe get to know your local independent bookstore or a retailer who specializes in what you're interested in. In other words, become your own expert.

Tyler Colman, "aka Dr. Vino," starts this great wine guide with much the same recommendation: instead of always ordering the same wine at a restaurant or grabbing it off the shelf at a supermarket, explore options. Don't simply go by numbers on a sign or the endorsement of a national expert, but find what you like. The key, though, is Colman's belief that wines should be enjoyed "in context" -- at a time, and also where possible in a place, most appropriate for both their history and their taste. It's an approach that makes a lot of sense, and "A Year of Wine" gives you the information you need to get you started exploring what to drink when. With sections on everything from how to spot frauds and whether those stemless glasses are worth the price, to how to quickly chill a bottle or the value of a good Moleskine notebook, supplementing the main text on time and travel, this relatively thin book is a very readable and comprehensive guide. Like many fans of wine and food, I have a number of wine books already on the shelves. But this has already become one of my favorites, and one I've learned the most from. I expect it will be coming down off the shelves quite a bit. Once a month, at least.

Comprehensive Wine Course

A Year of Wine by Tyler Colman is a complete wine manual written in an easy to read style that is good for all levels of wine connoiseurs.
The format provides diversity of subjects and illustrations, with fonts and spacing large enough to read comfortably. The book's organization, following seasons and months of the year, is a good approach to a complex subject. In addition there is some humor to the writing which helps lighten a sometimes involved topic, one of trying to cover wines around the world.

First he details the basics and wine glasses where I learned some myths about glasses. Also I learned about an unbreakable glass called the Tritan Forte. There is lots of good information about how to select a wine shop as well. Moving on to the seasons and various wines, I found most information to be helpful, but since I'm just a beginner some of the specific names will be easily forgotten. However, I can always refer to the book later when I want to try something new. I'm not interested in expensive wines, over $50, but there were less pricey wines mentioned. In addition, I wasn't always interested in some of the wines of other parts of the world that I'll never travel to, but it's good to be informed. Since I live in California, I sometimes want to stick to more local wines, and he didn't cover much California wine though I know that wasn't his intent.

Secondly, I liked the style of the book. There are experts quoted in the book under the title Sommelier Survey which are a nice compliment to the author's text. Also included are other informational details such as how to open a champagne bottle, and other tips to make your wine experience more enjoyable. The appendices and glossary are also an added benefit.
Overall, I recommend this book because it's an informative easy read and can be used as a good resource book any time wine comes up in a conversation.

In a nutshell- a wonderful introduction to wine. Some wine books are the size of massive library dictionaries....and the novice to wines can be left very intimidated by these, and may give up on becoming informed in the first few pages (especially the books that have huge discriptions of every type of wine). This fabulous (under 250 page) book is beautifully presented and laid out, and it is very well thought out too. The reader can find out very quickly about the major types of wine, and what is really great about the book is that the author gives suggestions about which wines to drink at the different seasons of the year, and with what food.

The book also has a lot of information about traveling to different wineries, buying wine glasses, and yes, even box wines which are apparently much more popular in Europe and 'greener' for the planet as well. Tips are given on taking notes on wine to better educate yourself. I have tried reading several books on wine, but this book has taught me far more than all the others- because the information is presented so clearly and concisely.

Highly recommended to all lovers of wine!