Hugh Johnson's Pocket Encyclopedia of Wine 1999 (Annual)

by Hugh Johnson
Vinarium image gallery: Wineries and landscapes:
Paperback - 280 pages Rev&Updtd edition (November 1998) Simon & Schuster (Paper); ISBN: 0684848821 ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.60 x 7.65 x 3.74 As indicated by the title, the Pocket Encyclopedia takes all that erudition, selects the most useful and necessary tidbits, and puts it in a convenient, portable size. The slim volume contains an enormous assortment of data about wines throughout the world. For example, the California chapter starts off with a brief but savvy wine history of the region and the market, then launches into thumbnail sketches of the principal vineyard areas and a summary of the qualities and characters of recent crops (1985 to 1996 for Chardonnay, 1974 to 1996 for Cabernet Sauvignons), providing an easy and precious reference on the value of various vintages. Then come the wineries--alphabetically listed, rated with a star system (one through four), pithily revealing, for each winery, its varietals, vintages, flavor characteristics, and any other notable details--for example, a new owner or direction. (Amazon.com)
ISBN	0684848821