What is the appropriate way to taste wine at a restaurant? What type of wine is best served with catfish? 1000 Best Wine Secrets contains all the information novice wine drinkers and experienced connoisseurs alike need to feel comfortable in any restaurant, home or vineyard. 1000 Best Wine Secrets is the book for readers seeking the confidence to select and enjoy the perfect bottle from among the wines of the world. Includes such tips as:--Secrets of buying great wine--Detecting faulty wine and sending it back--Serving wine like a pro--Wine tips from around the globe—from Argentina to France and Spain to California--Knowing when to drink wine

Selecting That Perfect Bottle

The best way to buy great wine is to know what you’re looking for, and to be able to put it into words—whether you’re talking with a merchant or a sommelier. It’s easier to find an unoaked crisp white wine with restrained flavors of green apple than a fabulous dry white. The latter means a dozen different things to a dozen people, so the odds of being perfectly pleased are slim.I cannot stress enough the importance of personal taste when choosing wine. The first chapter of this book reveals secrets to help you pinpoint your preferences, which are the foundation stones for much of the rest of this book. From there, you’ll learn secrets of ordering wine in a restaurant, pairing food and wine, knowing when to drink it, and deciphering labels. These are the touchstones to selecting and appreciating that perfect bottle.

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part One: Selecting That Perfect Bottle

Chapter One: Buying Great Wine

Chapter Two: Ordering Wine in a Restaurant

Chapter Three: Pairing Food and Wine

Chapter Four: Knowing When to Drink It

Chapter Five: Reading the Label

Part Two: Tasting and Serving Wine

Chapter Six: Tasting Wine Like a Pro

Chapter Seven: Serving Wine Like a Pro

Chapter Eight: Detecting Faulty Wine and Sending It Back

Part Three: Revealing the Flavors of the World

Chapter Nine: French Wine

Wines of Bordeaux

Wines of Burgundy

Wines of Champagne

Wines of Alsace

Wines of the Loire

Wines of the Rhône

Wines of Provence and Corsica

Wines of Southwest France

Wines of Languedoc and Roussillon

Vin de Pays

Wines of the Rest of France

Chapter Ten: Italian Wine

Wines of Northwest Italy

Wines of Northeast Italy

Wines of Tuscany

Wines of the Rest of Central Italy

Wines of Southern Italy and the Islands

Chapter Eleven: Spanish Wine

Wines of Rioja

Wines of Ribera del Duero

Wines of Northeast Spain

Wines of Northwest Spain

Wines of Central and Southern Spain

Sherry

Chapter Twelve: Portuguese Wine

Wines of Portugal

Port

Madeira

Chapter Thirteen: German Wine

Chapter Fourteen: Austrian Wine

Chapter Fifteen: Swiss Wine

Chapter Sixteen: Central and Eastern European Wine

Chapter Seventeen: Mediterranean Wine

Chapter Eighteen: American Wine

Wines of California

Wines of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho

Wines of New York State

Wines of the Rest of the United States

Chapter Nineteen: Canadian Wine

Chapter Twenty: Chilean Wine

Chapter Twenty-One: Argentinean Wine

Chapter Twenty-Two: Australian Wine

Chapter Twenty-Three: New Zealand Wine

Chapter Twenty-Four: South African Wine

Chapter Twenty-Five: Wine from the Rest of the World

Part Four: Trade Secrets

Chapter Twenty-Six: Wine Myths

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Storing Wine

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Giving the Gift of Wine

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Learning More about Wine

Chapter Thirty: Talking the Talk—Wine Terminology

Appendix A: 50 Best Wines under $20

Appendix B: Resources

Index

About the Author

Carolyn Hammond is a wine writer and founder of the Wine Tribune. She holds a diploma in Wine and Spirits from the internationally recognized Wine and Spirit Education Trust. As well as her expertise as a wine professional, Ms. Hammond is a seasoned journalist who has written for a number of major daily newspapers. She has contributed to Decanter, Decanter.com and Wine & Spirit International.