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Manufacturer: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Author: Tom Stevenson

Binding: Hardcover
EAN: 9781405326568
ISBN: 1405326565
Label: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Manufacturer: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Book Pages: 664
Publication Date: 2007-11-08
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Studio: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd

Tom Stevenson's new edition of his Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia is a formidable achievement. Five years in the preparation(Stevenson had planned for three but found himself overwhelmed by the incredible changes a decade had brought to the world of wine), it is a real master work, putting Stevenson up there among the gurus--Jancis Robinson, Oz Clarke, Hugh Johnson. Genuinely encyclopedic in scope and organisation, this is a publication that delivers what it promises: comprehensive information about all aspects of wine, in a beautifully clear structure and layout. It's wonderfully illustrated, too, with many evocative pictures of vineyards and wineries around the world.

As so often with the current crop of all-encompassing blockbuster wine books, the reader is likely to end up bemused by the sheer quantity of information, and the range of disciplines, that the modern wine writer must master. Not so very long ago a few elegant cellar and tasting notes might suffice. These days, the wine writer's skills must encompass geology, geography and soil chemistry; the myriad grape varieties and the best way to train, prune and harvest each of them in different climates; the qualities of the different types of oak used for barrels--French against American against Russian. And that's all before you even start making the wine, let alone tasting it. Tom Stevenson has all this at his fingertips. As a reliable guide for the novice, and an unfailingly informative companion for the connoisseur, The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia will be hard to beat. --Robin Davidson

Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Superb choice for an amateur or expert
Review: I bought this edition of the book a few years ago and have just pre-ordered the new edition due out in November. I use this book constantly, even now. Some of the information is a little dated, so I would recommend pre-ordering the latest edition (as I have done). It's an excellent series of books and don't be put off by the price, it's well worth it!!!

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Genuine Must Have
Review: This is an excellent production with comprehensive detail, first class layout and maps. The balance is perfect catering equally for beginner, keen amateur and expert.

If you only buy two wine books, get this and Wine Behind the Label and you will not be disappointed.

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A 'must-have' for those interested in wine
Review: I was given the first edition of this encyclopaedia in 1989 and was very impressed with the easy to read depth of information within it. The newer edition (for which I am writing this review) is different. It covers much of the same ground as the older book but in some areas, Alsace as an example, it provides a different, but equally useful angle. In the first edition, the individual growers are listed together with a resume of their wines and styles. In the second, the grape varieties and blends are listed with a list of the better growers. Personally, I find the two books together an ideal combination. If you are interested in discovering hitherto little discovered wines, 'sleepers' or the very best examples of a specific type this is the book to get. If you can get a copy of the first edition to go with it, even better!

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A truly useful book
Review: A truly useful and well presented book. Its full of information about grape varieties, wine making techniques, the producers and the wines themselves. I have read both Oz Clark and Parker and will no doubt continue to refer to them again but they are a bit dry in comparison to this book.

The Wine Encyclopedia is a joy to pick up and read at anytime, with detailed maps not just showing the road layouts but the soil conditions and the vine concentrations and the extents of the prime areas. There are some beautiful photographs and details of the main producers and their labels. The author's recommendations are also included at the end of each section.

Far better than a wine atlas. If you have only one book about wine in your house and you enjoy drinking wine I would recommend this book most highly.

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Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Informative, well written, easy to follow and understand.
Review: Informative, well written, easy to follow and understand.

I take photocopies of relevant pages on holiday to source and try new wines.

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