THE BOOKLOVERS' GUIDE TO WINE (Books & Books Press, 2017, 390 pages, ISBN 978-1-63353-606-7 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Patrick Alexander who teaches a six week program at Books & Books in Coral Gables Florida. He's done it for the past six years, so he put out his "notes" in book form. It's an introduction to the history, mysteries, and literary pleasures of drinking wine. He's got a nifty literate accompaniment to the traditional wine and food pairings. It's a global wine tour, with pairings such as Charles Dickens with cabernet sauvignon, Jane Austen with chardonnay, Shakespeare with sherry (Falstaff's dry sack), and JRR Tolkien with albarino (the newest hot white grape from Portugal and Spain). Very entertaining package that begins with tasting wine, making wine, wine history, continues with old world and new world (Canada gets icewine, but not in the index), grape varieties, and food matches. Reference material includes lists of Bordeaux appellations, the Grand Crus of Burgundy, and the standings in the two 1976 Judgment of Paris smackdowns.
Audience and level of use: beginning wine lovers, millennials.
Some interesting or unusual facts: "I can see you that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret" - John Cleese as Basil Fawlty.
The downside to this book: it arrived too late for my annual holiday book gift issue.
The upside to this book: very readable account. More details at info@mango.bz. Or by Amazon.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
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