The Booklovers' Guide To Wine: An Introduction to the History, Mysteries and Literary Pleasures of Drinking Wine (Wine Book, Guide to Wine)

The Booklovers' Guide To Wine: An Introduction to the History, Mysteries and Literary Pleasures of Drinking Wine (Wine Book, Guide to Wine)

by Mitchell Kaplan (Foreword), Mitchell Kaplan (Foreword), Patrick Alexander (Author)

Synopsis

Learn why great wines and great writers are a wonderful blendPure delight: This book would be a highly recommendable primer on wine without the literary references as Alexander guides us through regions and grapes, plus how to truly appreciate this nectar. But the hefty chapter matching grapes with authors is pure delight: albarino and J.R.R. Tolkien, chardonnay and Jane Austen, and his personal favorite, gewurztraminer and Marcel Proust. - Minneapolis Star Tribune The pleasures of great wine and great writers: Under the careful guidance of his father, Patrick Alexander began drinking wine with his meals at the age of five. At the same age, encouraged by his mother, he began a lifelong love-affair with books. The twin pleasures of wine and writing remained his passion for the next sixty-five years. He has raised his own children in many of the world's great wine growing regions, from Bordeaux and Piedmont in Europe to the Santa Cruz mountains of California while researching and writing his definitive guide to the novels of Marcel Proust. History of wine and some of the best wines: For the past six years, Patrick has been teaching a sold-out wine appreciation class at the nation's No.1 independent bookstore, Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida. The Booklovers' Guide to Wine is based on this very successful class and blends Patrick's passion for the culture and history of wine and his love of literature for the world's great writers. A literary twist on traditional food and wine pairings, this book explores how great wines and great writers can be combined to enhance the enjoyment of both. The book describes the history of wine from the time of Noah to the birth of two-buck Chuck. It explores the significance of terroir and varietal, the differences between Old World and New World wines and explains why England, a small island with almost no vineyards, is such a dominant force in the world of wine. The book also shows the relationship between: Charles Dickens with Cabernet Sauvignon Jane Austin with Chardonnay Shakespeare with Sherry and, J.R.R. Tolkien with Albarino This fact-filled, jargon free guide to wine, bursting with entertaining anecdotes, literary quotes and compelling humor will teach you everything you always wanted to learn about wine but were too scared to ask. Learn about wine: Patrick Alexander originally developed the Wine Appreciation program when he worked at the University of Miami as Director of the Office of Professional Advancement. In the summer of 2011, after Patrick had left UM in order to focus on writing, Mitchell Kaplan suggested he offer his program at Books & Books during the quiet summer months. It seems a pity to waste all that research Mitchell said and you never know; our book customers might want to learn about wine while enjoying great writers . Six years, twenty-three sold-out classes, and four-hundred satisfied students later, Patrick Alexander's Wine Appreciation Program has become one of the highlights of Books & Books event programming. Patrick is also a published author and his writings include Marcel Proust's Search for Lost Time and The Nigerian Letter. Now, by reading The Booklovers' Guide To Wine you can also experience what Patrick's students have come to love and appreciate about great wines and great writers.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 394
Publisher: Mango
Published: 05 Oct 2017

ISBN 10: 1633536068
ISBN 13: 9781633536067
Book Overview: Author will promote title on their social media platforms, Reviewer mailing for print publications, Blog tour

Media Reviews
Every bit as edifying and entertaining is Patrick Alexander's Booklovers' Guide to Wine (Mango, 394 pages, $19.95), which takes pairing to a new level: matching great reading with tasty wines. This book would be a highly recommendable primer on wine without the literary references as Alexander guides us through regions and grapes, plus how to truly appreciate this nectar. But the hefty chapter matching grapes with authors is pure delight: albarino and J.R.R. Tolkien, chardonnay and Jane Austen, and his personal favorite, gewurztraminer and Marcel Proust. Amazingly, every explanation of the matchups makes so much sense that it's impossible to imagine another author for that wine, or vice versa. - Minneapolis Star Tribune Patrick's conversational writing style and wit makes readers feel as if they are attending his class. The Booklovers' Guide to Wine covers vast amounts of information without ever becoming dry in delivery. I found myself making quick progress through the 350-plus pages, continuously engaged along the way. Isn't that what we all want from a good book? - Texas Wine Lover Patrick Alexander, author of The Booklovers' Guide to Wine and host of Books & Books' wine appreciation course, says which glass you use doesn't make much difference.The important thing is that the bowl should narrow at the top to focus and concentrate the aromas, he says. Personally I like big glasses with stems. . . . Also glass should be plain and clear, not colored or engraved. -MIami Herald Guides to the wide world of wine are many but this is the first book on the market to pair books with wine by an author who is a preeminent expert on both. -Thriftbooks.com Patrick Alexander seems to be the perfect guide for booklovers who want to enjoy wine even more through story-telling...... I have read dozens of wine guides over the years and I can't think of one that is so much fun. Simply irresistible!. ........ Alexander's literary references are the second distinctive factor. His abundant quotes from famous authors are clever and really made me think. And the chapter on wine grape varieties - where grapes are compared to famous authors - is both fun and informative. -Mike Veseth, editor of the Wine Economist and author of many wine books, including Wine Wars. From the preface through to the epilogue readers will learn everything from why the author has a dislike for wine critic Robert Parker that is completely logical yet surprising, basics on how to taste wine, read labels, naming different varietals, how to make wine, why sweet wines are popular, the connection between religion and wine, the difference between an American's understanding of wine and that of a European's in relation to terroir, what the 100 year war did to the wine industry, why the opinions on wine are so subjective and finally, why Alexander is never happier than with a glass of wine in one hand and a good book in the other. -Eve Bushman: Wine writer and consultant. Member of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), and the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), author of Wine Etiquette for Everyone Listen up, lovers of cheap wine (aka everybody who reads this column): Wine expert Patrick Alexander says we're drinking the right thing. .... Alexander knows a lot about wine, and he enjoys pairing wines with some of his favorite writers (Shakespeare with sherry, J.R.R. Tolkien with Albarino, Jane Austen with Chardonnay). - Connie Ogle: Book editor and wine columnist for the Miami Herald Amazingly comprehensive. It was a good read for me as a wine enthusiast but for a novice it would be a heck of a resource. I really like the structure of the chapters. .... Overall, a solid wine book and the compilation of information must have taken a heck of a long time to put together. The history and context is awesome. The details on varieties and wine regions is amazing. -Chris O'Shea: Editor/ Writer. The Unfussy Wine Enthusiasts