Author(s) : Unknown

Discusses wine vintages and provides advice on how to sample various types of wines, how to judge it by its label, the art of selecting the right wine, how to serve and store it, and how to distinguish good wine from bad. Introduction. Part I: Getting to Know Wine. Chapter 1: Wine 101. Chapter 2: These Taste Buds Are for You. Chapter 3: Pinot Envy and Other Secrets about Grape Varieties. Chapter 4: Wine Names and Label Lingo. Chapter 5: Behind the Scenes of Winemaking. Part II: Wine and You: Up Close and Personal. Chapter 6: Navigating a Wine Shop. Chapter 7: Confronting a Restaurant Wine List. Chapter 8: The Insider's Track to Serving and Using Wine. Part III: The 'Old World' of Wine. Chapter 9: Doing France. Chapter 10: Italy, the Heartland of Vino. Chapter 11: Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Beyond. Part IV: Discovering the New World of Wine. Chapter 12: The Southern Hemisphere Arises. Chapter 13: America, America. Part V: Wine's Exotic Face. Chapter 14: Champagne and Other Sparklers. Chapter 15: Wine Roads Less Traveled: Fortified and Dessert Wines. Part VI: When You've Caught the Bug. Chapter 16: Buying and Collecting Wine. Chapter 17: Continuing Education for Wine Lovers. Chapter 18: Describing and Rating Wine. Chapter 19: Marrying Wine with Food. Part VII: The Part of Tens. Chapter 20: Answers to Ten Common Questions about Wine. Chapter 21: Ten Wine Myths Demystified. Part VIII: Appendixes. Appendix A: Pronunciation Guide to Wine Terms. Appendix B: Glossary of Wine Terms. Appendix C: Vintage Wine Chart: 1985-2004. Index Wine enthusiasts and novices, raise your glasses! The #1 wine book has been extensively updated! If you’re a connoisseur, Wine For Dummies, Fourth Edition will get you up to speed on what’s in and show you how to take your hobby to the next level. If you’re new to the world of wine, it will clue you in on what you’ve been missing and show you how to get started. It begins with the basic types of wine, how wines are made, and more. Then it gets down to specifics:How to handle snooty wine clerks, navigate restaurant wine lists, decipher cryptic wine labels, and dislodge stubborn corksHow to sniff and taste wineHow to store and pour wine and pair it with foodFour white wine styles: fresh, unoaked; earthy; aromatic; rich, oakyFour red wine styles: soft, fruity, and relatively light-bodied; mild-mannered, medium-bodied; spicy; powerful, full-bodied, and tannicWhat’s happening in the “Old World” of wine, including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, and GreeceWhat’s how (and what’s not) in the New World of Wine, including Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and South AfricaU.S. wines from California, Oregon, Washington, and New YorkBubbling beauties and medieval sweets: champagne, sparkling wines, sherry, port, and other exotic dessert winesAuthors Ed McCarthy, CWE, who is a regular contributor to Wine Enthusiast and The Wine Journal and Mary Ewing-Mulligan, MW, who owns the International Wine Center in New York, have co-authored six wine books in the For Dummies series. In an easy-to-understand, unpretentious style that’s as refreshing as a glass of Chardonnay on a summer day, they provide practical information to help you enjoy wine, including:Real Deal symbols that alert you to good wines that are low in price compared to other wines of similar type, style, or qualityA Vintage Wine Chart with specifics on numerous winesInfo on ordering wine from out of state, collecting wine, and moreWine For Dummies, Fourth Edition is not just a great resource and reference, it’s a good read. It’s full-bodied, yet light...rich, yet crisp...robust, yet refreshing... Authors’ Acknowledgments 7 Contents at a Glance 9 Table of Contents 11 Introduction 21 About This Book 21 Conventions Used in This Book 22 Foolish Assumptions 22 How This Book Is Organized 23 Icons Used in This Book 25 About the Authors 5 Chapter 1: Wine 101 29 How Wine Happens 29 What Color Is Your Appetite? 31 Other Ways of Categorizing Wine 36 Chapter 2: These Taste Buds Are for You 41 The Special Technique for Tasting Wine 41 Parlez-Vous Winespeak? 47 The Quality Issue 50 The Final Analysis: Do You Like It? 54 Chapter 3: Pinot Envy and Other Secrets about Grape Varieties 55 Why Grapes Matter 55 A Primer on White Grape Varieties 60 A Primer on Red Grape Varieties 65 Chapter 4: Wine Names and Label Lingo 69 The Wine Name Game 69 Wine Labels, Forward and Backward 77 Chapter 5: Behind the Scenes of Winemaking 87 Grapegrowing, Winemaking, and the Jargon that Surrounds Them 87 Even More Winemaking Terms 92 Chapter 6: Navigating a Wine Shop 97 Buying Wine Can Intimidate Anyone 97 Wine Retailers, Large and Small 98 Choosing the Right Wine Merchant 102 Strategies for Wine Shopping 104 Chapter 7: Confronting a Restaurant Wine List 109 The Restaurant Wine Experience 109 How Wine Is Sold in Restaurants 110 How to Read a Wine List 114 Ordering Your Wine 118 Handling the Wine Presentation Ritual 120 Restaurant Wine Tips 122 Chapter 8: The Insider’s Track to Serving and Using Wine 125 Getting the Cork Out 125 Does Wine Really Breathe? 133 Does the Glass Really Matter? 135 Not Too Warm, Not Too Cold 139 Keeping Leftover Wine 141 Entertaining with Wine 142 Chapter 9: Doing France 147 The French Model 147 France’s Wine Regions 150 Bordeaux: The Incomparable 151 Burgundy: The Other Great French Wine 162 The Hearty Rhônes of the Valley 178 The Loire Valley: White Wine Heaven 180 Alsace Wines: French, Not German 182 The South and Southwest 183 Other French Wine Regions 186 Chapter 10: Italy, the Heartland of Vino 187 The Vineyard of Europe 187 Reds Reign in Piedmont 192 Tuscany the Beautiful 195 Tre Venezie 202 Snapshots from the Rest of Italy 205 Chapter 11: Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Beyond 207 Intriguing Wines from Old Spain 208 Portugal: More Than Just Port 214 Germany: Europe’s Individualist 217 Switzerland’s Stay-at-Home Wines 223 Austria’s Exciting Whites ( and Reds) 224 The Re-emergence of Hungary 225 The Glory That Is Greece 227 Chapter 12: The Southern Hemisphere Arises 233 Australian Wine Power 235 The Rise of New Zealand 239 Chile Discovers Itself 241 Argentina, a Major League Player 245 South African Wine Safari 247 Chapter 13: America, America 251 The New World of American Wine 251 California, USA 253 Napa Valley: As Tiny as It Is Famous 256 Down-to-Earth in Sonoma 261 Mendocino and Lake Counties 264 San Francisco Bay Area 265 Santa Cruz Mountains 266 What’s New in Old Monterey 266 Thar’s Wine in Them There Foothills 268 Contrasts in San Luis Obispo 269 Santa Barbara, Californian Paradise 270 Elsewhere in California 271 Oregon, A Tale of Two Pinots 272 Wine on the Desert: Washington State 275 The Empire State 279 Oh, Canada 281 Chapter 14: Champagne and Other Sparklers 285 All That Glitters Is Not Champagne 286 Sparkling Wine Styles 287 How Sparkling Wine Happens 289 Champagne and Its Magic Wines 292 Other Sparkling Wines 299 Buying and Serving Bubbly 304 Chapter 15: Wine Roads Less Traveled: Fortified and Dessert Wines 307 Timing Is Everything 307 Sherry: A Misunderstood Wine 308 Marsala, Vin Santo, and the Gang 314 Port: The Glory of Portugal 315 Long Live Madeira 320 Sauternes and the Nobly Rotten Wines 323 Chapter 16: Buying and Collecting Wine 329 Wines That Play Hard to Get 329 Playing Hardball 330 The Urge to Own: Wine Collecting 336 A Healthy Environment for Your Wines 341 Chapter 17: Continuing Education for Wine Lovers 347 Back to the Classroom 347 Armchair Travel 354 Chapter 18: Describing and Rating Wine 361 Words Cannot Describe . . . 361 When It’s Your Turn to Speak 363 Rating Wine Quality 367 Chapter 19: Marrying Wine with Food 369 The Dynamics of Food and Wine 369 Birds of a Feather, or Opposites Attract? 372 The Wisdom of the Ages 374 Chapter 20: Answers to Ten Common Questions about Wine 377 What’s the best wine? 377 When should I drink this wine? 378 Is wine fattening? 378 What grape variety made this wine? 379 Which vintage should I buy? 379 Are there any wines without sulfites? 380 What are organic wines? 380 What is a wine expert? 381 How do I know when to drink the special older wines I’ve been keeping? 381 Do old wines require special handling? 382 Chapter 21: Ten Wine Myths Demystified 383 The best wines are varietal wines 383 Wine has to be expensive to be good 383 Dark-colored reds are the best red wines 384 White wine with fish, red with meat 384 Numbers don’t lie 385 Vintages always matter/vintages don’t matter 385 Wine authorities are experts 386 Old wines are good wines 387 Great wines are supposed to taste bad when they’re young 387 Champagnes don’t age 388 Appendix A: Pronunciation Guide to Wine Terms 391 Appendix B: Glossary of Wine Terms 397 Appendix C: Vintage Wine Chart: 1985–2004 405 Index 409

does A Wine List Make You Want To Whine? Having A Hard Time Describing The Difference Between A Bordeaux And Wine In A Box? Don't Be A Dummy! wine For Dummies ®, the Award-winning, Entertaining, Unpretentious, And Enormously Popular Guide To Wine, Has Been Completely Updated By Renowned Authors And Wine Experts Ed Mccarthy And Mary Ewing-mulligan. wine For Dummies ®, Second Edition Provides Readers With A New And Expanded Version Of What Has Been Called The Wine Lover's Bible. Favored By Both Wine Novices And Connoisseurs For Its Accessible Teaching Style And Fun Approach To The Complex World Of Wine, wine For Dummies ® has Become the Recommended Book On Wine. Winner Of The Georges Duboeuf Wine Book Of The Year Award In 1995, wine For Dummies ® Has Been Hailed By Critics As The Grand Cru Of Wine Books And A Delightfully Formatted Compendium Of Everything You Need To Know About Wine.

why A New Edition? Wine Is A Living, Dynamic Substance. New Vintages And Wines Appear Each Year, And New Wineries Open Up, While Others Close Down, Explain Mccarthy And Ewing-mulligan. Based On Readers' Responses To The First Edition, wine For Dummies ®, Second Edition Now Includes:

• a Newly Restructured And Better Organized Text
• highlights Of New Wineries, Current Wine Prices, And New Bargains
• the Scoop On New Vintages -- Including An Updated Vintage Chart
• two Brand-new Appendixes: A Pronunciation Guide To Major Wine Terms And A Wine Glossary
• entire Chapters Devoted To Regions Of Italy And The Usa

wine For Dummies ®, Second Edition Is Brimming With All The Authoritative Information On Wine That The First Edition Had, Including How To:

• open And Pour Wine Properly
• taste Wine
• tell Good Wine From Bad Wine
• read Wine Labels
• speak The Language Of Wine
• navigate Restaurant Wine Lists
• select And Buy Wine

With The Holidays Approaching, Readers Shouldn't Miss Chapter 20, Marrying Wine With Food, And Chapter 15, Bubbling Beauties, On The Mysteries And Delights Of Champagne And Other Bubblies. Wine Connoisseurs Will Be Interested In Part Four, When You've Caught The Bug, Including Sections On Wine Buying And Collecting, Recommended Publications For Further Reading, And Special Wine Sites On The Internet.

in Short, wine For Dummies ®, Second Edition Offers Wine Lovers At Every Level A Completely Up-to-date Reference Book, Wine Textbook, And User's Manual, All In One Volume. The Book Is The Perfect Gift For Fans Of The First Edition, Those Who May Want To Buy A New Edition As A Gift, And Anyone Looking For A Definitive Source Of Information On Wine.

Wine enthusiasts and novices, raise your glasses! The #1 wine book has been extensively updated! If you're a connoisseur, Wine For Dummies, Fourth Edition will get you up to speed on what's in and show you how to take your hobby to the next level. If you're new to the world of wine, it will clue you in on what you've been missing and show you how to get started. It begins with the basic types of wine, how wines are made, and more. Then it gets down to specifics: How to handle snooty wine clerks, navigate restaurant wine lists, decipher cryptic wine labels, and dislodge stubborn corks How to sniff and taste wine How to store and pour wine and pair it with food Four white wine styles: fresh, unoaked; earthy; aromatic; rich, oaky Four red wine styles: soft, fruity, and relatively light-bodied; mild-mannered, medium-bodied; spicy; powerful, full-bodied, and tannic What's happening in the "Old World" of wine, including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, and Greece What's how (and what's not) in the New World of Wine, including Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa U.S. wines from California, Oregon, Washington, and New York Bubbling beauties and medieval sweets: champagne, sparkling wines, sherry, port, and other exotic dessert wines Authors Ed McCarthy , CWE, who is a regular contributor to Wine Enthusiast and The Wine Journal and Mary Ewing-Mulligan , MW, who owns the International Wine Center in New York, have co-authored six wine books in the For Dummies series. In an easy-to-understand, unpretentious style that's as refreshing as a glass of Chardonnay on a summer day, they provide practical information to help you enjoy wine, including: Real Deal symbols that alert you to good wines that are low in price compared to other wines of similar type, style, or quality A Vintage Wine Chart with specifics on numerous wines Info on ordering wine from out of state, collecting wine, and more Wine For Dummies, Fourth Edition is not just a great resource and reference, it's a good read. It's full-bodied, yet light...rich, yet crisp...robust, yet refreshing.... Discusses wine vintages and provides advice on how to sample various types of wines, how to select the right wine, how to judge a wine by its label, how to serve and store it, and how to distinguish good wine from bad