[.ca] Oz Clarke's Introducing Wine: A Complete Guide for the ... (ISBN 0156030233)

From Amazon.com:
Perhaps if Oz Clarke had his way, Baskin-Robbins would manufacture 15 flavors. Not that "vanilla" even comes close to describing the style of the prolific London Daily Telegraph wine correspondent, James Beard and Julia Child Awards winner, and author of the perennially updated Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guide. Any wine writer who routinely refers to champagne as "fizz" and value-priced bottles as "gluggers" is a wine novice's friend, right? Welcome to Introducing Wine, Clarke's contribution to the overcrowded wine primer field. Subtitled "A Complete Guide for the Modern Wine Drinker," this 3-chapter, 144-page glossy tome liberally sprinkled with color photos is designed for the reader looking beyond a wine shop's old reliables. Part I deals with wine flavors: Oz's aforementioned 15, ranging from "juicy, fruity" to "ripe and toasty." Part II takes on wine enjoyment--buying, storing, opening, serving--while Part III serves as a grapey gazetteer of the world's wine regions. It's a delicate job Introducing Wine in such confined space, but Oz is a good host: witty, learned, and only occasionally schmoozily vague. A "buying" discussion flits about, touching on e-tailing, futures, and mixed-case discounts for half a page; other paragraphs sparkle with wine descriptors both enchanting ("face cream" and "beeswax") and confounding ("damsons" and "lanolin"). Clarke's capable of both enlightenment (warnings include such terms as "reserve" or "superieur") and overkill: if your retailer sells more Lucky Strikes than Lynch-Bages, you needn't Oz to tell you it's a "bad wine shop." Copious opinions, too, can raise eyebrows or shrug shoulders: Pinot Gris "always" exhibits a hint of honey? Zinfandel is California's "all-purpose" grape? Easier to swallow is Oz's assertion that French vin de table can be "pretty much anything that won't kill you." Helpful in Part III are the Quick Guide sidebars explaining regional jargon and suggesting wines, although recommendations from California and the Pacific Northwest are uninspired--a rare Introducing Wine instance where plain vanilla mixes into Oz Clarke's jamocha almond crunch. --Tony Mason

a non-snobby and easy-to-follow introduction:
Just as I enjoy armchair travelling for its budget price, I like armchair wine books. Not all of us can afford to drink great wine daily, but it's fine to read about it and to heighten your appreciation when you do get the chance to try a great wine. This book is very easy to follow and does an especially great job on the various grape types (varietals) from gamay to nebbiolo and everything in between. It should answer almost anyone's basic questions about grapes and how wine is made. The flavor wheels and food charts are very helpful as are the regional breakdowns that make up part 3. I happen to like this breezy style, but if you want a stuffy wine book, don't buy this one. Our fearless author sticks in lots of his opinions, but in a way that makes us believe him. For the novice (and even for the expert who needs some brushing up), this is an easy to follow and helpful guide to a world of wine.

Excellent Intro to Wine:
I sat down at the local Barnes & Noble with this book and four others: "The K.I.S.S. Guide to Wine", "Wine for Dummies", "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine", and "The Complete Guide to Wine". Of the five books, "Oz Clarke's Introducing Wine" was (if I remember correctly) the most expensive of the five and, at 144 pages, the shortest--which made me question whether it was the best value. However, after comparing the five books, it's the only one I took home with me. Here's why: All five books covered my four major areas of interest (food & wine pairing, the characteristics of the different grape varieties and regions, how to serve wine and how to decipher wine labels), but the Clarke book, in my mind, had the clearest, most interesting and best written material. Also, the "Wine Wheel" graphics (pp. 13 & 18) and the Food & Wine Matching Charts (pp. 61 & 62) were, for me, worth the purhcase price alone. By the way, "The K.I.S.S. Guide to Wine" is a great choice for those wanting more in-depth coverage.

A Good First Guide:
A very good introduction to the world of wine. Clarke spends the majority of the book discussing the basics: what to expect from different varities of wine, and what to expect from the various geographical regions where wine is produced. He spends little time on specific labels (although he does offer a few suggestions), so if you are looking for a buying guide this is not your book. It does not go into much depth, but it does a fine job of covering the subject in a light, engaging manner.

A great beginner's Book:
This is the best introductory wine boook that I know.