Silly Tasting Notes and Neuroenology It might seem obvious, but the taste of wine occurs in the human brain. Indeed, there is a good deal of scientific research that’s gradually revealing how this works. A terrific book called Neuroenology, by Gordon M. Shepherd, explains this in detail. So why also include the Silly Tasting Notes in this article? Well, once the taste …
2019 AWEsome Wines – Free Download
2019 AWEsome Wines – Free Download Hot off the Press! The latest 2019 edition of 100 AWEsome Wines from the Association of Wine Educators (AWE) is out now. It’s brand new, now in its 5th year, and it’s free! What’s the catch? There isn’t one. We’re wine educators, so it’s what we do. AWE members are professionals that taste and teach wine …
Book Review: The Philosophy of Coffee
Book Review: The Philosophy of Coffee For me, a day without real coffee is unthinkable. Instant coffee is only for dire emergencies because even bad coffee is better than none. I prefer Italian espresso to keep the jitters at bay. However, I enjoy finding new coffees, drinks and venues to try. Consequently, a new book called The Philosophy of Coffee is the …
100 AWEsome Wines 2018 Free Download
100 AWEsome Wines 2018 Free Download Hot off the Press! This year’s edition of 100 AWEsome Wines is just out. It’s a brand new edition for 2018, now in its 4th year. Here’s what it’s about: “How fortunate we are to live in a world where wine exists. And so many. In so many different styles. If you find the …
Book Review: Bordeaux Grands Crus Classés 1855
Book Review: Bordeaux Grands Crus Classés 1855 The Bordeaux Grands Crus Classés 1855 gave official recognition to the best wines of the Médoc and Sauternes. Some 163 years later, it’s still a compelling listing, though hardly without flaws. This handsome new book about this classification claims to be the essential reference for wine aficionados. Does it live up to this billing? …
Book Review: Wine Revolution by Jane Anson
Book Review: Wine Revolution by Jane Anson Wine Revolution by Jane Anson contains “The World’s Best Organic, Biodynamic and Natural wines”. When I started to focus on this subject a decade and more ago, such wines were dismissed by conventional wisdom. According to this, they employed daft doctrines. Furthermore, they were only from a handful of winegrowers that had lost …
Book Review: Where to Drink Coffee
Book Review: Where to Drink Coffee Billed as the unfiltered truth about the best brew, Where to Drink Coffee is newly published. Authors Liz Clayton and Avidan Ross claim that this is the Expert’s Guide to the best coffee in the world. It’s one of Phaidon’s range of hipster books, with an eye for attractive design and heavyweight paper. Other …
Beeronomics – World History Through Beer Goggles
Beeronomics – World History Through Beer Goggles Here’s my review of a newly published book about beer, entitled Beeronomics, how beer explains the world. It’s a book that looks at world history via beer goggles. Well, my friends might you tell you that I’ve always seen the world through beer goggles. Now this book legitimises this viewpoint! All joking apart, beer …
Book Review: Italian Wine Unplugged, Grape by Grape
Book Review: Italian Wine Unplugged, Grape by Grape Italian Wine Unplugged brings something genuinely new. In this review, I’ll explain why. For me, Italian wines are a treasure trove of history, culture, food, language, colour, scents and flavours. There’s no denying that Italy makes great wines; in every region, in every possible style and at every price point. Italian wine …
100 AWEsome wines 2017 – get your copy free
100 AWEsome wines 2017 – get your copy free Each year, the Association of Wine Educators (AWE), of which I am a member, publishes a 16-page colour booklet called 100 AWEsome wines. AWEsome – geddit? The 2017 Edition is hot off the press and brand new. It does what it says on the tin Inside are 100 great wines representing …