A Guide to Wine

In vino veritas, the saying goes. But it may be as valuable to know the veritas of the vino, and Julian Curry makes it easy and entertaining to do just that. From cultivation to curmudgeonly quaffing, his recorded course moves easily along, accompanied by classical music breaks and a helpful booklet. While not everyone may need to know the right way to stomp a grape, it's never a bad idea to know how to deal with a snobby sommelier, store wine properly, and buy the perfect bottle at the perfect price. Never pedantic, A GUIDE TO WINE is a fine gift for yourself or any other wine lover. D.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

August 1, 2003
An actor and serious wine enthusiast, Curry entertains us on a topic he truly loves. In an unusual opening, he describes work in the vineyard and cellar, cleverly involving the listener in decisions faced in each step of wine production. Helping to explain some of the complexity and issues in winemaking, including pricing and styles of wine, this technique is surprisingly simple and effective. Familiar wine guide territory is covered, such as purchasing, food matching, varietals, glasses, serving, and storage, in an easygoing, lighthearted manner that will keep the ear of most listeners. A booklet includes the introduction, basic wine maps of all major and many minor wine producing countries, information on labels and the French Appellation Controlee system, and table of contents. The scale of the maps is so large as to be of limited use, and the section that serves as a guide to the principal wines produced in various areas is a little difficult initially to understand and too general. Still, there is a lot of solid information here that is well and clearly presented. Using a unique approach and subtle humor, Curry is effective in teaching novice oenophiles while generally holding the interest of more serious wine students. Good value for the money and a useful addition to most library collections of introductory wine material.-Carolyn Alexander, Brigadoon Lib., Corral De Tierra, CA

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.