Introductory Books

Amerine, M.A. (1977). Wine: An Introduction (2nd Rev. ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press.

The title explains it all; this book is a general introduction to wine and wine making. It contains information on history, wine making, specialty wines, and the different wine regions. Most importantly, though, is Chapter 19: Wine Appreciation, Evaluation and Service which provides helpful hints for a neophyte.

Clarke, O. (c2000). Oz Clarke’s Introducing Wine. New York: Harcourt.

Grouping all wines into fifteen categories, Clarke attempts to educate by defining the major characteristics of wines. Useful terms and techniques are discussed; charts provide an easy reference. This source will help the novice gain background knowledge.

Kramer, M. (c2003). Making Sense of Wine (Rev. ed.). Philadelphia: Running Press.

Kramer seeks to demystify wine history, manners, and customs using humor and wit. Written in a style easy to read, topics include storage, presentation, service, and pairing food with wine. Recipes are also included. This book covers curious questions that might arise such as why corks are marked with the vineyard’s name.

McCarthy, E. & Ewing-Mulligan, M. (c1996). Red Wine For Dummies. Foster City, CA: IDG.

This immensely popular series speaks for itself. Meant as an introduction to wines, it is treated similarly to Wine for Dummies, only specific to reds. Descriptions of the different varieties are given, as well as opinions of the best. This book is nice because it mentions the less recognized red wines from areas such as Chile.

McCarthy, E. & Ewing-Mulligan, M. (c1998). Wine For Dummies (2nd ed.). Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide.

This immensely popular series speaks for itself. Easy to read, this book is meant for the complete novice. The authors guide the novice into developing their own favorites, but still give recommendations. Also, there is a section devoted to investing and cellaring wine for those that develop an obsession.

Vine, R.P. (1997). Wine Appreciation (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley.

This book includes the basics, such as wine history and wine making techniques. In addition to this, Vine provides a pronunciation guide in the test proper, guides to conducting wine tasting, suggestions on serving, directions on how to properly remove a cork, how to store wine, and a list of quotations and toasts about wine. It is unique because it focuses on American wines, but does not exclude foreign wines. There are plenty of illustrations, a bibliography, glossary, and a detailed index.

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