Wine. All the Time.

June 15, 2017

Books about wine can sometimes seem stuffy or exclusionary. Blogger and Bon Appetit columnist Ross (wine-allthetime.com) is anything but, essentially telling readers that if she can learn about and appreciate wine, they can, too. A light, often amusing read, this book includes colorful anecdotes; for example, getting caught drinking wine on a beach by police who used what she calls an alcohol-detecting police tampon. There are also plenty of helpful sidebars and joking asides. Ross wants her audience to understand that wine is no big deal; that they can start by enjoying what they like, which will make it easier to explore more varieties. She peppers her writing with profanity, which won't suit all who pick the book up, but her attitude does help distinguish this title from many of the other wine guides available. VERDICT With a hip, casual tone that will find fans among those who are less familiar with wine, this book will appeal to aficionados and novices alike.--Peter Hepburn, Coll. of the Canyons Lib., Santa Clarita, CA

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2017
Ross, Bon Appetit's wine columnist, went from chugging Two Buck Chuck to appreciating the tart red berries, black currant, and subtle floral notes of a fine Gamay, and is here to tell us how we can, too. In reality, readers need only know wine exists in order to be as educated and entertained as wine lovers and wannabes will be by Ross' comforting, comprehensive guide to the often-snobbified world of wine. She describes winemaking regions and how wine is made; the types of wine and how to decode a label; and how to shop for wine, pair it with food, and order it from those intimidating lists that appear to be catalogs of words you've never seen before, separated by commas. Explaining the wine-tasting practices of swirling, smelling, and sipping, she adds the Ross test: How does it taste when swigged straight from the bottle? Great for both a read-through or a quick reference, Ross' funny, informative book reminds readers that enjoying and talking about wine is mostly about paying attention to our personal tastes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)