Wine for Every Day and Every Occasion

July 19, 2004
Rather than overload budding oenophiles with a comprehensive survey of winemaking, grape varietals, regions and producers (which Gaiter and Brecher nicely did in The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine
), the authors of the WSJ
's "Tastings" column structure this book around holidays, events and common challenges such as traveling, negotiating wine lists and shopping confidently. It's an accessible, pleasurable read, showcasing the couple's unpretentious love of wine, from the jug to the rare vintage. Some chapters are stronger than others—the quiz on movie and TV "wine scenes" falls short of more informative sections on kosher wine, wines for summer, what to serve with Thanksgiving fare, wines for weddings and wine tastings. And readers may tire of the cheery letters from fans and find themselves thirsting for more Gaiter and Brecher. But this is really a testament to the couple's appeal as the ultimate anti-snob experts—their spirit comes so alive on the page, you'd love to find them sitting in your living room, opening one of their favorite California Cabs or white Bordeaux. Agent, Amanda Urban. (On sale Oct. 12)

Forecast:
Gaiter and Brecher's book should attract those who read their column, as well as people who've seen the authors on the
Today Show,
Martha Stewart Living and
CBS This Morning.

Starred review from August 1, 2004
Fans of Gaiter and Brecher's popular Wall Street Journal column, "Tastings," will welcome this concise volume advocating the pleasures of wine. Each chapter deals with the selection and enjoyment of wine for particular occasions, e.g., weddings, anniversaries, Christmas, Passover, football games, and vacations. For each, they describe with mouthwatering appeal suggested wines in various price ranges. Practical advice on common questions such as whether to tip the sommelier is plentiful throughout. The chapter on New Year's Eve even describes how to safely open the bubbly, as well as what to open. An index of approximately 20 pages will help readers locate tasting notes on specific wines and wineries. Gaiter and Brecher's matter-of-fact writing style will not intimidate the novice or offend the veteran wine enthusiast. Highly recommended. (Index not seen.) Ann Weber, Bellarmine Coll. Preparatory, San Jose, CA

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.