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The Complete Idiot's Guide To Wine Basics

by: Thomas, Tara Q.

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Wine Basics

by: Thomas, Tara Q.

ISBN 13:
9781592572786
ISBN 10:
1592572782
Format: Paperback
Copyright: 10/05/2004
Publisher: PENGUIN
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Summary

You're no idiot, of course. But you find wine intimidating - whether you're buying it, serving it, or trying to pair it with food. You're never sure whether you should introduce your favorite chicken cacciatore to a nice Pinot Grigio or a sturdy Merlot... Don't let the snobs lock you out - wine is for all of us! Get tips on matching wine with food, discovering wines that match your tastes, and more in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine Basics. Book jacket.

Grape Expectations: Laying Down the Basics	p. 1
What Is Wine, Anyway?	p. 3
Fabulous Fermentation	p. 3
Buzzed Birds and Tipsy Princesses	p. 4
Growing Good Wine	p. 5
Turning Grapes Into Wine	p. 13
Endless Variation, Endless Exploration	p. 18
How to Read a Wine Label	p. 21
The Lay of the Label	p. 22
Who Made It	p. 25
Where It's From	p. 26
Reservations About "Reserve" and Other Terms	p. 28
Which Grapes?	p. 30
When Vintage Matters	p. 32
Back Label Details	p. 33
How to Taste: Get the Most Out of Your Glass	p. 37
Setting Up a Tasting	p. 38
Pop the Corks	p. 42
The Five Ss	p. 44
Putting Wine into Words	p. 46
What to Taste: The Big Nine	p. 51
Chardonnay	p. 53
What It Tastes Like	p. 54
Where Chardonnay Grows	p. 55
What's Your Style?	p. 61
Sauvignon Blanc	p. 65
The Smell of Sauvignon	p. 65
Where Sauvignon Shines	p. 67
Other Occidental Sauvignons	p. 70
Sauvignon's Soul Mate, Semillon	p. 73
Find Your Sauvignon Style	p. 74
Riesling	p. 79
Riesling: The Acid-Head's Grape	p. 79
Where Riesling Gets Racy	p. 81
A Matter of Style	p. 91
Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris	p. 95
Pinot's Many Faces	p. 95
What's in a Name	p. 96
Italy's Pride and Shame	p. 97
Oregon's Stealth Grape	p. 101
Pinot Gris Around the World	p. 102
Picking Pinot Grigio	p. 102
Cabernet Sauvignon (and Its Father, Franc)	p. 105
Cabernet's Hallmark Flavor	p. 106
Where It Grows	p. 107
Meet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon's Father	p. 116
Find Your Style	p. 117
Merlot	p. 121
Where Merlot Grows	p. 121
Bordeaux, France (Again)	p. 122
Washington State	p. 124
California Merlot	p. 125
Italian Merlot	p. 126
The Rest of the World	p. 127
What's Your Merlot Style?	p. 129
Pinot Noir	p. 133
What's the Attraction?	p. 133
Burgundy: The Pinnacle of Pinot Noir	p. 135
Oregon's Out Front	p. 138
New Zealand	p. 140
A Few Far-Flung Pinot Posts	p. 140
What's Your Style?	p. 143
Syrah/Shiraz	p. 147
France's Northern Rhone	p. 148
Australia's Claim to Fame	p. 151
California's Rhone Rangers	p. 154
Washington State	p. 156
What's Your Style?	p. 156
Zinfandel	p. 159
Zinfandel's Origins	p. 160
Zinfandel's Many Faces	p. 161
Zinfandel's Purview	p. 162
Zinternational	p. 165
Primitivo	p. 165
Which Zinfandel When?	p. 166
Regional Specialties	p. 169
France's Fragrant Whites	p. 171
Chenin Blanc	p. 172
Gewurztraminer	p. 174
Muscat	p. 175
Viognier	p. 176
Rhonely Blends from France and Beyond	p. 179
Lonely Rhone Whites: Marsanne and Roussanne	p. 180
Southern Rhone Whites	p. 184
Pay Dirt in Vin de Pays?	p. 185
Southern Rhone Reds	p. 185
Touring the Rhone by Glass	p. 190
Iberian Interests	p. 193
Albarino/Alvarinho	p. 194
Other Iberian White Wines	p. 196
Which White When?	p. 198
Tempting Tempranillo	p. 199
Tastes of Tempranillo	p. 202
Garnacha	p. 203
Touriga and Portuguese Varieties	p. 204
Italy's Originals	p. 209
A Few Caveats First	p. 209
Italy's Belle Bianchi	p. 211
Piedmont's White Alternatives	p. 211
Northern Stars Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano	p. 212
Trebbiano's Reach	p. 213
Garganega	p. 214
Falanghina, Fiano, and Greco: Campania's Ancient Trio	p. 214
The Three V's: Verdicchio, Vernaccia, Vermentino	p. 215
Vini Rossi	p. 215
Sangiovese	p. 216
Nebbiolo, Piedmont's Liquid Truffle	p. 218
Barbera and Dolcetto	p. 219
Corvina	p. 220
Southern Specials	p. 220
Underappreciated but Worth a Look	p. 223
A Trio of Obscure Whites	p. 224
Adventurous Reds	p. 225
Greece's Awesome Antiquities	p. 230
Special Styles	p. 233
All That Sparkles	p. 235
Capturing Carbonation	p. 236
Decoding the Sparkling Wine Label	p. 238
Pick a Country, Any Country	p. 240
Don't Point That Thing at Me!	p. 244
When to Serve Sparkling Wines	p. 245
Dessert Wines	p. 247
Let It Hang: Waiting for Sugar	p. 248
Holding On to Sugar	p. 248
Light, Fizzy Sweet Wines	p. 249
Sweet, Still Wines	p. 251
Grapes on Ice	p. 252
Noble Rot-No Kidding	p. 253
Port and Other Fortified Wines	p. 257
Port	p. 258
Styles of Port	p. 258
Zinfandel "Port" and Aussie "Tawny"	p. 260
Setubal, Portugal's Other Fortified Wine	p. 261
Sherry	p. 261
Madeira	p. 263
Vin Doux Naturel	p. 264
Australia's Liqueur Muscat	p. 265
Shopping Time	p. 267
Why Wine Costs What It Does	p. 269
The Bare Necessities	p. 270
Labor	p. 272
Getting It to the Market	p. 274
Retail vs. Restaurant Prices	p. 276
To Recap	p. 276
Buying Wine and Starting a Stash	p. 279
Finding Your Dream Store	p. 280
Ordering In	p. 282
Finding Wine You Like	p. 283
Navigating on Your Own	p. 284
Starting a Stash	p. 286
What Wines to Age	p. 287
Where to Put It All	p. 290
Now You Have the Wine List...	p. 293
Navigating the Wine List	p. 295
Basic Etiquette	p. 296
Business Dinner Etiquette	p. 296
What's a Sommelier?	p. 297
Take Advantage of the Sommelier	p. 298
Do-It-Yourself Sommelier-ing	p. 299
Picking Out the Best Buys	p. 300
The Tasting Ceremony	p. 303
What to Expect	p. 304
The Rules of Rejection	p. 306
The Invisible Tasting Ceremony	p. 307
Decanting	p. 307
BYOB	p. 309
To Tip or Not to Tip	p. 310
Let's Eat (and Drink)	p. 311
Pairing Wine and Food: Mechanics 101	p. 313
Common Sense Counts	p. 314
Take a Cue from the Locals	p. 315
Underlying Mechanics 101	p. 317
Parts of Wine	p. 320
Company's Coming	p. 323
Planning Ahead	p. 323
Casual Affairs	p. 326
Ambitious Affairs	p. 327
Judging Amounts	p. 328
Etiquette	p. 328
When You're the Guest	p. 329
Basics Down-Now What?	p. 331
The More You Know, the More You Don't Know	p. 331
Keep On Learning	p. 332
Free Wine	p. 332
Lots of Tastes, Little Cost	p. 333
Charity Tastings	p. 334
Restaurant Tastings	p. 334
Courses and Classes	p. 334
Tasting Clubs	p. 335
Wine Festivals	p. 336
Travel, Armchair and Otherwise	p. 337
Appendixes
Glossary	p. 339
Wine Resources	p. 349
Index	p. 355
Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved.

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Wine Basics

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Wine Basics

9781592572786

1592572782

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Wine Basics

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Wine Basics

9781592572786

1592572782

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

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