Gifts for Wine Lovers: Books
So you have finished up the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers. The radio is playing holiday music 24/7. And Baby, it's officially cold outside. You know what that means - it's the Holiday Season!
If you are in search of something special for the wine lover in your life, look no further! I will be featuring some of my favorite wine related items, including: art and decor, gadgets and gizmos, or just a few of my favorite things. But first, I have a list of my favorite wine books!
1. Thomas Jefferson on Wine, By John Hailman. This was the first book I ever purchased specifically discussing wine. Being the history nerd that I am, it played a huge role in sparking my interest in wine. A great choice for anyone who loves history and wine.
2. Wine and War: The French, The Nazis, and The Battle for France's Greatest Treasure, By Donald Kladstrup & Petie Kladstrup. Another choice for someone who loves history and wine, but this book focuses on World War II. Just finished reading this book and loved it! I have so many interesting stories to share with friends at holiday parties about how the French would go to great lengths to protect their wine from Nazi seizure.
3. Wine Wars: The Curse of the Blue Nun, the Miracle of Two Buck Chuck, and the Revenge of the Terroirists, By Mike Veseth. Finally, a book that combines economics and wine! A great read for the Economist in your life. This book discusses some recent changes in the wine business and how these changes will affect wine production in the future.
4. Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics influence the Wine We Drink, By Tyler Colman. I have yet to read this book, but it is definitely next on my list. A combination of my two favorite things - wine and politics. The world of wine is definitely (if not completely) drive by politics and law. Looking forward to
5. Wines of the New South Africa, By Tim James. Finally, a book dedicated to one of my favorite wine regions - South Africa! There are hundreds (if not thousands) of books covering France, Italy and even Germany - down to the individual region - but there are few specifically covering South Africa. This book covers the history of wine making and the trends of what is to come.
6. The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert: Take a Whiff of That, By Richard Betts. I saw this book on a list in Wine Spectator and absolutely loved the idea of it! One of the most important things in learning more about wine and the styles you like as an individual is learning how to use your nose! Smelling wine is half the fun. Be warned, don't take this book too seriously when it comes to the actual scents, as some reviewers have described them as off, but definitely an interesting and unique book for the wine lover that is looking for something new!
Looking for something that provides a more straight forward approach to learning about wine (aka wine reference books), anything written by the following authors will definitely be a great resource:
- Jancis Robinson
- Oz Clarke
- Mark Oldman (A personal favorite, informative an hilarious at the same time!)
Happy Holidays and Cheers!