The River Cafe Wine Primer (ISBN 0316185922)

Amazon.com Review:
Joseph DeLissio, wine director of the venerable River Cafe in Brooklyn, New York, throws his Haut-Brion into the crowded field of wine books for people who know nothing about wine. This self-styled primer opens with a mission statement about being "straightforward, honest, unintimidating, informative, liberating, and--above all--enjoyable," but after a few pages it becomes clear that, for the author at least, wine knowledge is wieldable weaponry. When opening pages suggest rituals such as sniffing your empty restaurant glassware for chlorine/dishwasher odors to "send a strong signal that you are... serious," most novices may well start backing off. That is, if they haven't already been spooked by the discussions on wine terminology, investing, cellaring, restaurant lists, and wine auctions that occur in the first 60-some pages. It's a shame, because DeLissio is obviously informed, opinionated, and passionate about the grape. Fortunately, he more often delights with insider advice: a winemaker's signature on a bottle may actually decrease its value; beware 11 bottles in an auction lot (frequently indicating that the 12th was drunk and deemed unsuitable). The Burgundy chapter alone is worth the purchase price; it could serve as a Cliffs Notes summary for the Master of Wine exam. --Tony Mason

Good, but not exceptional:
Delissio's "River Cafe Wine Primer" is a nice place to start for the beginning oenophile. It reads easily, for the most part, and never insults the reader. The author joins the "all things are possible" attitude, leaving the appreciation of wine to the reader, while providing guideposts for enjoyment. Never is the reader talked down to, but neither is the author willing to keep his advice on a lowest common denominator level. This book has an insider's information and I found some of the restaurant and background info on par with Boudrain's "Kitchen Confidential", but with a dash more restraint. I'm not sure if the wine industry has the kind of dirt that Boudrain exposes, but the novelistic style of Delissio's book still makes it a worthy read. Where this primer fails is not so much the fault of the book, but rather in its competition. Zraly's wine course book and MacNeil's "The Wine Bible" are superior. The Zraly book is very basic, while MacNeil's is far more thorough. One reviewer noted how well Delissio clarified the wines of France, but I found his tour to be more confusing than similar discussions in the other two books. The sidenotes and fun facts in Zraly, and the ebullient, "zest for life" attitude of MacNeil also take them one step above "The River Cafe Wine Primer". Another significant lack is that due to the writing style and the book's layout, it doesn't function well as a reference. In other words, it wouldn't be a book I would reach for if I had a question. Delissio avoids naming names - his wine recommendations are more generalized. This works well for a book that will probably not go through several revisions, but again, it makes it harder to use for specific help. A nice day read, "The River Cafe Wine Primer" is a fine addition for wine lovers who seek to round out their knowledge, but in a crowded market of wine books, there are other more essential books to add to one's library.

outstanding:
An amazing book! Mr. Delissio's, The River Cafe Wine Primer,is a must have for anyone serious about wine. The information given is easy, even for the novice to understand. From how its made, to the choice you have with your meal, is explicit and excact. I only wish that there were more writers with Delissio's passion.

a great wine primer:
As a mere advanced beginner in the world of wine enjoyment, I find this book to be among the best I have explored to educate myself. It covers all kinds of really practical information from ordering wine in different types of restaurants to purchasing wine in retail stores, as well as more detailed information on types of wines. Imagine that you have a great friend or associate who knows the world of wine inside and out and you ask him to write down some advice for you, and you'll get an idea of the easy style you'll find here...only expanded tenfold. This book is laid out thoughtfully and is bursting with the kind of practical advice that can only reflect a deep love for the subject matter. I would highly recommend this book to both someone who is just beginning to explore and enjoy wines and also to those a little further along who are looking for depth of general knowledge.

THE WINE BOOK THAT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY:
While I have always liked wine I have always hated the arrogance of most people who sell wine. Be it the cocky wine shop clerk or the restaurant wine whatever you call them guys with the silly silver cup, they seldom make me feel like my opinion means anything. They make me feel stupid! That has all changed since I have read The Wine Primer. While I did not buy the Wine Primer, (it was a gift from a woman who has become my ex woman) I love the power and comfort it has given me. Best of all this book saves me money. I didnt know wine shops give quantity discounts until I read it in the Wine Primer. I tried it out when I bought six bottles of wine in my local wine shop when at checkout, I asked if there was any multiple bottle discount- to my surprise there was, 10 % to be exact. I have saved over a hundred dollars since I read of this tip in The River Cafe Wine Primer. I like red wine with almost every thing I eat. Once at a well known restaurant I ordered a French red Bordeaux with my Tuna and was given a three minute lecture by "The Wine Guy" on how it as a horrible match. Needless to say I was so intimidated I changed my order. Here I am I'm thirty four years old, I own my own buisness, my own home, repair my boat and car by myself, and coach a little leaugue soccer team, and I found my self embarrassed to have red wine with Tuna. Mr. Delissio says in his book that "the only palate one ever needs to impress is his own" and puts it in a way that you believe it. There is a saying in the bible that if you teach a man to fish you will never have to feed him. The River Cafe Wine Primer has taught me how to let myself enjoy my own tastes, and after reading it I find that when it comes to wine I don't need any help. Best of all it keeps saving me money. I recommend everyone learn how to fish and read this book.

This boook is great:
This book is fantastic. It is a must buy. It is informative as well as interesting.