Wine For Dummies

470 Pages·2015·3.94 MB·English

by  Ed McCarthy

Wine For Dummies®, 6th Edition
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2015949698
ISBN 978-1-119-11884-8 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-11886-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-
1-119-11885-5 (ebk)
Wine For Dummies®
Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/wine to view this
book's cheat sheet.
Table of Contents
Cover
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I: Getting Started with Wine
Chapter 1: Wine 101
How Wine Happens
What Color Is Your Appetite?
Other Ways of Categorizing Wine
Chapter 2: These Taste Buds Are for You
The Special Technique for Tasting Wine
Parlez-Vous Winespeak?
The Quality Issue
Chapter 3: Pinot Envy and Other Secrets about
Grape Varieties
The Importance of Grape Varieties
A Primer on White Grape Varieties
A Primer on Red Grape Varieties
Chapter 4: Wine Names and Label Lingo
The Wine Name Game
Decoding the Language of the Label
Chapter 5: Behind the Scenes of Winemaking
Vineyard Jargon, Winemaking Talk
The World of Viti-Vini
Even More Winemaking Terms
Part II: Wine and You: Up Close and Personal
Chapter 6: Buying Wine to Drink at Home
Buying Wine Can Give Anyone the Jitters
Wine Retailers, Large and Small
Criteria for Choosing Wine Merchants
Strategies for Wine Shopping
Chapter 7: Buying Wine in Restaurants
By the Glass or Buy the Bottle
Analyzing the Wine List
Managing the Wine Presentation Ritual
Restaurant Wine Tips
Enjoying Wine Bars
Chapter 8: Serving Wine
Getting the Cork Out
Does Wine Really Breathe?
Does the Glass Really Matter?
Not Too Warm, Not Too Cold
Entertaining with Wine
Keeping Leftover Wine
Chapter 9: Marrying Wine with Food
With Wine and Food, Rules Do Not Apply
The Dynamics of Food and Wine
Other Ways of Pairing Food and Wine
Classic Pairings of Wine and Food
Part III: The “Old World” of Wine
Chapter 10: Knowing the Wines of France
The French Model
France’s Wine Regions
Bordeaux: The Incomparable
Burgundy: The Other Great French Wine
The Hearty Rhônes of the Valley
The Loire Valley: White Wine Heaven
Alsace: Unique Region, Unique Wines
The South and Southwest
Other French Wine Regions
Chapter 11: Italy, the Land of Great Vino
The Vineyard of Europe
Reds Reign in Piedmont
Tuscany the Beautiful
The Tre Venezie
The Sunny South of Italy
Snapshots from the Rest of Italy
Chapter 12: Spain, Germany, and Other European
Hot Spots
Intriguing Wines from Old Spain
Portugal: More Than Just Port
Germany: Europe’s Individualist
Austria’s Exciting Whites (And Reds)
The Glory That Is Greece
Part IV: Discovering the “New World” of Wine
Chapter 13: America, America
The New World of American Wine
California, U.S.A.
Napa Valley: As Tiny As It Is Famous
Down-to-Earth in Sonoma
Gold Country: The Sierra Foothills
San Luis Obispo: Paso Robles to Edna Valley
Santa Barbara, Californian Paradise
Oregon: A Tale of Two Pinots
Washington State Reaches New Heights
The Empire State
Chapter 14: The Southern Hemisphere Arises
Australian Wine Power
The Rise of New Zealand
Chile’s Rapid Wine Development
Argentina, a Major League Player
The South African Wine Safari
Part V: Wine’s Exotic Face
Chapter 15: Champagne and Other Sparklers
All That Glitters Is Not Champagne
Sparkling Wine Styles
How Sparkling Wine Happens
Champagne and Its Magic Wines
Other Sparkling Wines
Buying and Serving Bubbly
Chapter 16: Wine Roads Less Traveled: Fortified
and Dessert Wines
Timing Is Everything
The Growing Popularity of Sherry
Marsala, Vin Santo, and the Gang
Port: The Glory of Portugal
Long Live Madeira
Sauternes and the Nobly Rotten Wines
Part VI: When You’ve Caught the Bug
Chapter 17: Buying and Collecting Wine
Finding the Rare and Collectible Wines
The Urge to Own: Wine Collecting
A Healthy Environment for Your Wines
Chapter 18: Continuing Education for Wine Lovers
Back to the Classroom
Armchair Travel
Chapter 19: Describing and Rating Wine
The Challenge of Putting Taste to Words
When It’s Your Turn to Speak
Rating Wine Quality
Part VII: The Part of Tens
Chapter 20: Answers to Ten Common Questions
about Wine
What’s the Best Wine?
Which Vintage Should I Buy?
What Grape Variety Made This Wine?
How Do I Know if a Wine Is Flawed?
Are There Any Wines Without Sulfites?
What Are Organic Wines?
What Is a Wine Expert?
Are Wine Experts Sommeliers?
How Do I Know When To Drink the Special Older Wines I’ve
Been Keeping?
Do Old Wines Require Special Handling?
Chapter 21: Ten Wine Myths Demystified
The Best Wines Are Varietal Wines
A More Expensive Wine Is a Wiser Choice
A Screwcap Closure Indicates a Lower-Quality Wine
Red Wines Are More Sophisticated Than White Wines
White Wine with Fish, Red with Meat
Number Ratings Don’t Lie
The Quality of a Wine Is Objectively Measurable
Wine Authorities Have All the Answers
Very Old Wines Are Good Wines
Champagnes Don’t Age
Part VIII: Appendixes
Appendix A Pronunciation Guide to Wine Terms
Appendix B
Appendix C
About the Authors
Cheat Sheet
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