MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE GUIDE
The Oxford Companion to Wine
by Jancis Robinson
(Oxford University Press, $65)

Reviewed by Nancy Huang

For those who love wine, there are plenty of guides available to break down the process of buying, storing and tasting, as well as give advice on the best shops, top vintages, perfect pairings and proper methods for sipping and swirling. But for those who border on obsession with this complex beverage, there is The Oxford Companion to Wine. Now in its third edition, this venerable encyclopedia of vino includes nearly 4,000 entries on every wine-related topic imaginable.

With sections covering grape varietals, appellations, famous wine growers, oenology and the history of wine, The Oxford Companion is a must-have for any future winemaker or sommelier, and the perfect desk reference for serious connoisseurs. Those familiar with the ubiquitous Wine Lover’s Companion will find a similarly alphabetized format in this book, but with more comprehensive features and illustrations, as well as useful appendices such as wine production, controlled appellations and other areas. Because of the addition of 400 new entries covering such topics as globalization and precision viticulture, this latest edition forgoes all matter related to brandy and distilled wine. With more than 800 pages of material, though, we guarantee most oenophiles won’t notice.

P112806

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