Whole libraries have been written about wine. But what are the books that every true wine lover should have on it's shelf? We listed 5 must-haves of wine literature for you.
1. The Wine Bible - Karen MacNeil
The name says it all, the Wine Bible. Everything, but really everything, is in this. Karen MacNeil's Wine Bible is our favorite reference for a quick look-up. It covers all wine regions of the world, including fun facts, tips and anecdotes. For this edition alone, MacNeil tasted over 10,000 wines. She also lists her favorite producers and must-taste wines per region.
2. The Oxford Companion to Wine - Jancis Robinson
This standard work of Brittain's Grand Lady of Wine Jancis Robinson, first appeared in 1994. It has received numerous awards and is already in its fourth edition. The book, or "The Work" as Robinson refers to it, covers every conceivable wine-related topic, from regions and grape varieties to producers, connoisseurs and tasters. In addition, much attention is paid to viticulture and history. The work is organized alphabetically as an encyclopedia, covering over 4,000 different topics. And speaking of Jancis Robinson, we shouldn't leave The World Atlas of Wine co-written with Hugh Johnson unmentioned. The 8th edition was released in 2019 and this is undoubtedly the most extensive wine atlas available. Indispensable for anyone studying wine!
3. The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass - Jamie Goode
This is one for the advanced wine lover who wants to dive deep into the matter. This book deals with the scientific, often chemical processes in wine making. Although this all sounds quite complex, Goode writes in an understandabe way and he explains everything very clearly. If you want to understand the difference between cork or screw cap or how a wine gets "bret" (Brettanomyces), this book is an absolute must. Sounds intesting? Flawless, also from Jamie Goode, handles all the mistakes a wine can have. We admit, it's heavy stuff, but interesting from cover to cover.
4. Champagne: the future uncorked - Gert Crum
Dutch wine writer Gert Crum is an authority in the field of Champagne. His latest book is a true masterpiece, in which all aspects of the wine region, history, and the traditional method are extensively discussed. In addition, the book offers 76 profiles of the best producers, according to Crum. Some famous Champagne houses are of course mentioned, but there is also a lot of attention given to récoltants manipulants; growers who make their own wines from their own grapes. Jan Bartelsman was responsible for the impressive photography. It's a beautiful coffee table book, but above all a great source of information to anyone who wants to really explore Champagne.
Cork Dork - Bianca Bosker
Something a little bit different, but great fun guaranteed is New York Times bestseller Cork Dork. A delightful account of a journalist who decides to quit her job as a tech editor at The Huffington Post to immerse herself in the New York wine world. Her goal? Join the exclusive club of New York tasters. In her book we follow Bianca in her months as a "cellar rat" in a well-known restaurant, at tasting sessions in Eleven Madison Park with the crème de la crème of the New York somms and on the road to the Certified Sommelier exam. Highly recommended for lovers of the SOMM movies on Netflix.
