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Imagine
yourself at a fine, upscale restaurant
with a client or date you want to
impress. As the host, you graciously
accept the wine list … but
then your gaze begins to blur as
you skim across dozens, perhaps
even hundreds, of unfamiliar wines.
Whatever happened to the basic Chardonnay
and Cabernet Sauvignon? And also,
what prices! How much better can
a $600 dollar wine be than a $60
wine?
Ordering a more expensive wine, you'll
learn in this remarkable book, will not necessarily make your meal
more enjoyable. In fact, many expensive wines are not yet ready
to drink, so you would be doing yourself and your guest a disservice
by ordering them. In virtually every way possible, this 377-page
book is a dynamic resource when it comes to understanding the characteristics
of wine and how to find and order delicious, well-made, value-priced
wines at restaurants and at home.
Why read this book, you might wonder,
instead of the hundreds of other books on the market?
Many reasons, but perhaps the most
persuasive is that Daniel Johnnes is a top sommelier who served
at the best restaurants in Manhattan (and now Las Vegas) and is
also an importer of wines. As such, he has keen "insider information"
into the world of wine and how you, the consumer, may get the best
value at restaurants and wine shops.
Johnnes's excellent
desktop resource begins with a brief description of the characteristics
of various types of grapes as well as wine making techniques. Next,
you'll learn a bit about the wine-making process and insider trade
secrets that will help you figure out if a wine is priced because
of "hype" or because it really is exceptional and rare.
Following this, Johnnes gives you a valuable lesson in how important
glassware and temperature are with regard to enhancing your enjoyment
of wine.
With this foundation, get comfortable
because Johnnes now takes you on a tour of the world's finest growing
areas, highlighting regions and even specific wineries where you
can still find exceptional value.
Professionals like myself, who have
completed many wine-related diploma courses, will appreciate this
book for its focus on specific regions and vineyards, including
the "rising stars" of specific appellations. This aspect
of the book comes in very handy say, for example, you are being
questioned by a Master of Wine for an exam and he or she asks you
to recommend a wine to pair with a specific dish, and then asks
you to name a specific winery.
A key strength of this book is the
way Johnnes expertly offers pairing notes for wine varietals and
even specific wines from top wineries. This element of the book
helps the burgeoning wine connoisseur mentally "taste"
the richly-described but yet un-tasted wine with a familiar, everyday
dish. Below is an example of how Johnnes describes Bruno Giacosca
Dolcetto D'Alba "Faletto" 1999, to be paired with the
appropriate pairing for grilled salmon:
"Bruno Giacosa
is one of the grand names of Piedmont. He is best known for his
Barbaresco. Dolcetto is an early drinking grape variety, and this
one is a perfect example of the purple, simple joy a wine can deliver.
All pretenses are left behind. The wine is gushing with blackberry
anise aromas. On the palate it is lush with medium body and ripe
fruit flavors."
So, what is the best way to use this
book? Turn it into your personalized wine course, reading about
the wines of various countries region by region until you become
the go-to expert about wine at work or among friends. Sneak a peak
before entertaining guests at fancy restaurants so you can speak
intelligently about the wine you do order. Win friends and impress
strangers with your seeming magical ability to perfectly match wine
to whatever is ordered.
And be sure to look scout out several
new celebrity-chef restaurants in NYC, Las Vegas, and Miami where
the much-in-demand Daniel Johnnes has designed the wine list.
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