Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 2003 Edition: A Lively Guide (Hardcover)

by Kevin Zraly (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Picking out a wine book, either for yourself or as a gift, can be almost as daunting as the wine list itself. Kevin Zraly, founder of the Windows on the World Wine School, knows this, and his newly-updated twentieth anniversary edition is as indispensable as the corkscrew. Zraly starts small, with an overview of developments in the wine industry since the book's last publication, and then covers the basics of fermentation, important wine regions and how to taste wine. What really sets the book apart from its peers is Zraly's patience with the reader. The book is peppered with questions ranging from "How long should I keep a Beaujolais?" to strategies on creating and stocking a wine cellar. Quirky quotes, anecdotes and cocktail party trivia are scattered throughout the book's margins. The result is an eminently readable book that manages to teach while it entertains. Through it all, Zraly remains down-to-earth and free of the snootiness many newcomers associate with the daunting world of wine. Wine experts may find this book lacking, though, and might be better served by a more exhaustive, encyclopedic book, as Zraly focuses on French and domestic wine at the expense of Italian, Spanish and Australian brands. (Including Yellow Tail, an Australian wine that, according to Zraly, is the top-selling imported wine.) Still, this is an excellent introduction to the world of wine and should be warmly received by those looking for a well-structured and informative book on the subject.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
This latest edition of Zraly's wine primer takes into account the most recent vintages and the newest wines to appear in the American marketplace. Zraly continues to be one of the country's leading wine advocates and one of its most gifted teachers, his enthusiasm for his subject shining on every page. Steering clear of wine snobbery, Zraly leads the neophyte gracefully through convoluted territory. In addition to wines from Europe and California, Zraly talks about Australia's contribution, which now supplies the U.S. with its best-selling imported wine. He also rates Argentine and Chilean wines, whose quality has come to rival California's finest products. The bulk of Zraly's text dwells on the classic French wines of Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley, and Alsace, whose historical complexities and specialized terminologies generate the mystique that endows these wines with perennial allure. The book's layout and its use of multiple sidebars on every page help pack an amazing amount of both practical information and entertaining details between the covers. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Sterling; Revised edition (August 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402700903
• ISBN-13: 978-1402700903
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,084,191 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heights Unmatched, December 11, 2002

By	Randy Given (Manchester, CT USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book is named after the restaurant "Windows on the World" (WotW) which was near the top of the World Trade Center (NYC). Although I had been to the top of the WTC many times, I never made it to WotW. I wish I had. If this book is any indication (especially the 2003 edition with stories and pictures about the restaurant itself), it must have been a wonderful experience.

For beginners, this book should be read after "Wine for Dummies" (WfD). I recommend WfD as the book to purchase if you only want one book. If you want two or more, which is very likely, the second one is this one, "Windows on the World Complete Wine Course" (WotWCWC). This book covers reds and whites, in depth, as well as a clearly diagrammed set of geography pictures and notes.

The author takes out much of the snobbishness of others, presenting a great deal of information in an attractive manner. This is great for the library as well as a book that can be laid out on a table for casual reading by guests.

There is a FAQ section towards the back that is very good. There are also some suggestions for starting your own collection and for those that want to make a restaurant wine list (which is also a must-read because some of it will apply to your own collection).

This book is a must-have for a wine library. Your guests will also appreciate it.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for beginners! A great read., November 12, 2002

By	Kris Backus "backusk" (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews

My husband and I consider ourselves wine hobbyists - not really beginners - and we are getting a lot out of this book. Zraly packs a lot in, and it's all interesting stuff, from little known facts (did you know your nose can discern over 2,000 different smells?) to diagrams of the taste centers of your tongue, to discussions of the various wine regions in different countries, as well as the United States. What sold me on this book is the suggested wine buys for the well-stocked cellar (in the Appendix), where Zraly suggests wines you can easily find in various ranges: under [money] (everyday wines), [money] (once a week wines), [money] and up. Great suggestions from someone whose been in the business for years and loves it.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect "course" for the beginning oenophile, July 2, 2005

By	T. Burger (Chicago) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 2005 Edition: A Lively Guide (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book for the beginning oenophile. Truly, I have found that there was no greater revelation in my gustatory experience than when I first had a good glass of wine. Not a wine that had been left out and corked at a restaurant for three days, not a $4.99 bottle from the local supermarket, not two-buck-Chuck, or, god forbid, the jug wines of my parents day. That first good glass of wine opened my eyes to an amazing world that I didn't know existed.

When you have that first good glass, you seek out more, and during your search you discover that there are varietals you've never heard of: Viognier, Barolo, Carignan, Mourvedre, Tempranillo, and so many others. As you taste these wines, you realize this is a world you want to know more about.

This is the perfect book to start your journey into the "wonderful world of wine". While it is very well written, it is certainly not comprehensive (no introductory book of any kind could be!) but there are times when the author references something that 1) you may wish to know more about; or 2) you feel it hasn't been adequately explained. I would highly recommend purchasing The New Wine Lovers Companion, available here on Amazon for only $10.17 (i.e., not any great expenditure) and keep it next to you while you go through the book. It will greatly enhance your experience.

When you have finished with this book you will have a solid understanding of all of the major wine producing regions in the world, the varietals that come from them, the wines that are made, and so much more.

I myself work part-time in a wine store, and recommend this book to everyone who comes in wanting to know more.