11/14/05 Monday question - Books on wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today we are answering questions from the email. Recently a listener asked, "Could you recommend some books for me to read as I begin learning about wine?" I am delighted to have someone ask for recommendations of books about wine. I believe that it is just as valuable to read about wine, as it is to taste it. In fact, reading about wine prior to tasting it will help you to more clearly understand what you taste and have a better wine vocabulary. I think there is very little doubt that Wine For Dummies by Mary Ewing-Mulligan and Ed McCarthy is excellent! But, I in fact recommend that you read that after you have read Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. Kevin's book will prepare you to take the next step and move into the Dummies Book. I like it to start with because the simple question and answer format is one that makes a good deal of sense. It makes clear many of the terms and things that we hear about wine and presents them briefly. Another author that I like is Fiona Sims with titles such as Guide to Wine and Wine Made Simple. After that, I encourage you to read anything that Jancis Robinson has written. She is able to bring wine into the realm of understanding without talking down to us or making any assumptions that we know what she is talking about. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.