It is that time of the year when folks get antsy about shopping for the coming Holiday Season. We are all shopping earlier and more conveniently with online stores. Wine books are an easy gift choice for the wine lover. I polled the Vintage Wine Tasting Members and asked them to share with me their favorite wine books.
Joe’s wine bookcase
Which wine books should you have on your shelf?
The top wine book choice among the Vintage Wine Tasters is Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. Kevin updates this book regularly and it remains one of the most popular wine guides on the market.
Another popular choice among the Vintage Wine Tasters is Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine. Jancis is the famous British wine critic and this book is very comprehensive. If you have a question about wine, this book is a great reference tool. You can also get it in a Kindle edition.
Get this book: The Oxford Companion to Wine (Oxford Companions)
A similar reference book is The World Atlas of Wine. The legendary wine geek Hugh Johnson teams up with Jancis Robinson. 7th edition.
- Buy this book: The World Atlas of Wine, 7th Edition
One of my favorite books is the Wine Bible. Karen McNeil has traveled the world to update this second edition of the best-selling Wine Bible. This a handy resource to have on your wine shelf. I love the way Karen showcases each wine region of the world. Lots of wine tips!
- Get this book: The Wine Bible
The Wine for Dummies book is excellent and a very good guide for someone just getting into the world of wine. It is an easy read and well organized.
Get this book:Wine For Dummies
The Wine Spectator: The most popular and prestigious wine magazine. A year subscription nets 15 issues, including the top-100 wines and the top-100-bargain wines. Spectacular wine photography!
New York Times wine writer Eric Asimov, How to Love Wine. Eric writes a passionate explanation of how he came to love wine. Through his thoughts, we learn about the body and soul of wine. It’s a great read.
- Get this book: How to Love Wine: A Memoir and Manifesto
A new kid on the wine block is Wine Folly. Their book The Essential Wine Guide is a superb guide to wine basics and fundamentals. Easy to use, yet a complete reference guide.
- Get this book: Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine
Have you been to the Napa Valley? Either before or after a visit to the Napa Valley, you need to read the best book on the history of Napa Valley’s great wineries and vintners. James Conaway gives the reader insights into the struggles and triumphs of land owners, wineries, and winemakers. Napa: The Story of an American Eden is a “must read” for anyone who loves the Napa Valley.
- Get this book: Napa: The Story of an American Eden
These last two books are wine fiction books. Kristen Harnisch’s books take you from the Loire Valley in France to the early days of California winemaking. These books have twists and turns, a wonderful love story, and heartbreaking moments. Both books are “page turners.”
- Get these books: Vintner’s Daughter: A Novel
and The California Wife
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