Bordeaux: Revised Third Edition (Hardcover)

by Robert M. Parker (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
When connoisseurs speak of wine as a long-term investment that can appreciate in gustatory (and monetary) value for decades, they usually refer to red Bordeaux, France's biggest and longest-lasting wine. But as the cachet of Bordeaux continues to attract legions of wine fanatics across the globe, the 90s have seen Bordeaux prices skyrocket. The importance of informed buying has never been more acute, and Parker's guide is simply the best available. Updated from the original 1985 edition, the third edition of Bordeaux is organized along the same lines as the region's wine classifications. After introducing the style, history, and techniques specific to each principal appellation, Parker discusses the featured châteaux in detail--from the techniques of the vintners to the peculiarities of the all-important terroir. Parker's ratings for the tasted vintages, based on the 100-point scale he popularized through The Wine Advocate, are the real crux of each winery's listing. Performing all his tastings in "single blind" style--where each wine is judged without knowledge of the price or producer, and only in context with similar wines--assures a measure of independence in the tastings. Big-name wines are often deflated, and many "also-rans" from the landmark quality classification of 1855 finally win their deserved recognition.

The third edition naturally highlights the series of (mostly good) vintages that Bordeaux has seen since the release of the second edition in 1991, but it also includes updated tasting notes on the vintners and vintages Parker has revisited since that time. His opinions command such worldwide attention that, given time, either your palate or your wallet is bound to benefit from keeping up with Parker's advice. --Todd Gehman

Review
The Washington Post An ombudsman for the wine consumer. -- Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1584 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 3 Rev Sub edition (November 2, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684800152
• ISBN-13: 978-0684800158
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #333,503 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #5 in

  Books > Travel > Europe > France > Bordeaux

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificient detail and superb color commentary!, March 17, 1999

By	David L. Moore ([e-mail]) (Houston, Tx, USA) - See all my reviews

As a recent student of Bordeaux wines, I have bought and read over 20 books on the region,the chateaux and its wines. After spending over $1500 on books, for a mere $50 more I bought Parker's new edition of Bordeaux: A Comprehensive Guide to the Wines Produced from 1961 to 1997. It was so rich in detail and so interesting to read, I read it almost cover-to-cover, and I read some parts several times. For the wines I knew, Parker's great scoring approach, and detailed and dated tasting notes were "spot on." I became so confident in his judgement that I used his book to build a spreadsheet of the chateaux and wines, with year-by-year scores. From this spreadsheet and the book, I researched eight excellent wines and held a professionally led wine-tasting party with outstanding results. There, Parker's tasting notes came screaming out of the book and jumped into my glass as I joyfully smelled, tasted and experienced them. Since then I have acted on his advice by buying and drinking many of his recommended wines--all with similarly terrific results. I have become a real Parker fan and intend to buy everything he ever publishes, sight unseen. If, like me,you are a lover of great wines, especially Bordeaux, or want to be, you will simply adore this book.

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative but not the Gospel, January 22, 2000

By	Graham Reddel (Germany) - See all my reviews

This book is comprehensive and informative and should be added to the library of any serious wine lover. However, it is important to bear in mind that Robert Parker has very definite views on what a great Bordeaux wine should be! Wine, of course, is very much like art - the beauty is in the eye of the beholder! It goes without saying that if you enjoy your wines black and tannic and undrinkable for the first 15 years then Robert Parkers famous points system is for you! It is probably better to ignore his points system altogether as a wine with 85 points could well be vastly superior to a wine with 95 points , depending on whether you are looking for elegance rather than inky blackness. It is also worth noting that wines such as "Cantemerle" are sometimes penalized by Parker for being light coloured and elegant rather than a blockbuster heavy wine (such as Latour). Hachette produces a much better wine guide which presents a more balanced view on wine appreciation. It helps undo the damage which is rife in America - many wine consumers feel obliged to serve only wines with 90+ points , thereby missing out on an ocean of extemely delicious and elegant wines which Parker only rates with 85 points.

Good drinking!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bordeaux, November 27, 1999

By	Jack Osborn (St. Louis, Missouri) - See all my reviews

A thoroughly comprehensive work, seemingly the definitive current description of all Bordeaux's. More than just a frank rating by one of the world's wine experts, as Parker shares facts and opinions about the various chateaus and their progress, ups and downs, in producing fine wines. This is certainly an encyclopedic effort, and one truly feels that each and every chateau and its wine have been described in considerable detail. Someone not familiar with Parker might find it interesting that his ratings are often quoted in wine publications and at auctions to give readers somewhat of a guide as to the quality of an individual wine. This is not a book that rates all old wines. Parker tends to rate still drinkable old wines, and does go back, in many cases to the 60's, in a chronological order. He also has notes about "superb" ancient vintages, that goes beyond the chronological listings.