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Wine
Books
There are so
many good wine books available, it
can be a bit of a
nightmare trying to choose the ones that provide the most relevant and
interesting information. This section will give details on books which
we feel provide the most interesting and informative content
(especially, of course, for the areas we feature) for wine novices and
"experts" alike......
Le
Guide
Hachette des Vins
A
good place to start, since this book is all about French wine.
Originally published in France, it has more recently been published in
the U.K (in
English, of course) but the current edition (2006) appears to be only
available in French. At over 1,000 pages, it is a weighty volume,
compiled from scratch each year, following tastings of 30,000
different wines, from virtually every appellation in France. A series
of blind tastings, by 900 wine experts, decides on 9,000 of the best
wines for inclusion in the book, including prices at the cellar door,
contact/visiting details and tasting notes. Any wine listed is deemed
worthy of merit. Some are awarded 1, 2 or 3 stars and the very best are
awarded "Coup de Coeur", meaning that it is a "love at first sip"(!)
wine. Some of the wines and winemakers
on our list are included in the
book, some are not. This is mainly because of the one drawback of
this particular publication - wines are only considered for inclusion,
if the winemaker chooses to send samples for tasting. Despite this
drawback, the Guide Hachette is a worthwile book to own, and an
indispensible one, for those who like to visit the vineyards whilst
holidaying in France. You can find
the Guide Hachette in good bookshops and at Amazon.co.uk.
Normal price is about £25,
published by Mitchell Beazley.
Rosé
Exposé
"Which
would you prefer - red or white? Actually, I'd prefer a rosé."
So goes the blurb on the back of this interesting and enthusiastic
book, devoted solely to the delights of rosé wine- as far as we
are aware, the first book of its kind. Covering the world's major (and
minor) rosé producing regions, the book features in-depth
sections on the wine-making processes, the grape blends, food-matching
ideas and buying guides. It also exposes the many myths surrounding
rosé wine. An enjoyable, pocket-sized read for all lovers of the
style, and fairly priced at £8.99.
The
writers, Steve Broadhead and James Hayes, also have an entertaining
and information-packed website (again, devoted to rosé) at www.drink-pink.com
The
Wines of the South of France - from Banyuls to Bellet
In many ways, this
was the book that was the catalyst for the creation of Leon Stolarski
Fine Wines. Having travelled extensively around the south of France for
some years, using various other wine books as my guide, I saw this in
my local bookshop. I mulled over it for quite a while - after all,
£30 for what is to all intents and purposes a paperback was
certainly not cheap! But it is the result of some extremely extensive
and in-depth research by the writer, Rosemary
George M.W, whose love
for this region and its wines is writ large on every page. As the title
suggests, it begins in Banyuls, close to the Spanish border, and wends
its way right across the majority of southern France, finishing in
Bellet, close to Nice, on the Côte d'Azur. It also takes in the
island of Corsica.
There is
much information about the history and politics of winemaking
in southern France, both ancient and modern, together with a huge
amount of detail on the terroir, the grapes, the growers and their
wines. It is not an exhaustive guide to the myriad growers to be found
in each region, rather a collection of profiles on the ones that the
writer visited over a lengthy period of time. She does a wonderful job
of conveying the passion and dedication of these growers, their love
for the land and the wines they make from it. There are rudimentary
tasting notes here and there, though nothing too detailed - such detail
would probably detract from the real aim of the book, which is really
all about the people who make
the wines. Incidentally, don't expect pictures, either colour or
otherwise - a few simple maps is all you get. Nevertheless, this really
is an essential book for all who are passionate about the wines of this
wonderful region. Published
by
Mitchell Beazley, and now available from Amazon.co.uk
for just £17.50.
Oh, and
the catalyst.......? See our About
us section
for full details!
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