Readin' Makes Us Smart

Wine sections in book stores seem to grow by the day as vino becomes more and more popular in the U.S. If one can only buy three for a lifetime of knowledge and reference, may I recommend the following:


- Wine Lover's Companion by Ron Herbst & Sharon Tyler Herbst

Simply put, this is a wine dictionary. The authors relate definitions to thousands of wine terms on topics such as winemaking, famous vineyards, producers, regions, tasting language, and much more. This book is a must have for anyone learning about wine, and comes in handy regularly for those with more advanced knowledge. For about $15 at nearly any bookstore, "Wine Lover's Companion" is worth every penny.

- Michael Broadbent's Pocket Vintage Wine Companion by Michael Broadbent

Twenty-Two bucks gets you historical vintage information for nearly every wine region in the world, some dating back three hundred years. It's a small book that packs a punch, offering weather and growing conditions, cellaring recommendations, and even specific information on top producers. This book is updated every few years and a new edition was released in 2007. One disappointing point of note is that Mr. Broadbent omitted Oregon and Washington in the latest edition. Why I couldn't say (especially as wine from these states is more popular than ever), but it's pretty glaring and not a welcome change. Otherwise, this little 400 pager just couldn't be better!

- The Oxford Companion to Wine by Jancis Robinson

The mother of all wine reference guides, this hefty book is a large 800+ pages crammed with more information than any of us will ever remember. You'll have to get your wallets out though kids as "The Oxford" will set you back about $70. Look for used copies online to save money if you don't have the clams. Either way, get this book and almost any wine question you have will be answered.


Salud!

Evan. portlandwino.