How to Love Wine: A Memoir and Manifesto - Tapa dura

James Beard Foundation Book Award Nominee for the the Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductee -- No Source James Beard Foundation Book Award Nominee for Beverages -- No Source "A wonderfully intimate memoir-cum-manifesto from a writer comfortable with his own ability as a wine writer who's not afraid to say it as it is... One of the more enjoyable and fluid wine books to read all year." -- Jancis Robinson "Wine aficionados are always bickering among themselves... In his delicious new book, New York Times chief wine critic Eric Asimov cuts through all of this background noise and reminds us of the elemental and undeniable fact that wine is ... sheer pleasure." -- Oregon Live "Eric Asimov sees through the snobby froth of 100-point scores and tutti-frutti tasting notes to the realities of wine, 'staple grocery and occasional star,' as he calls it. How to become America's most trusted wine critic? Read it here." -- Hugh Johnson "In his highly personal, utterly unpretentious book, Asimov makes clear that the most important thing about wine is enjoyment. Any deeper understanding--and for him food, culture, farming, and more count for a lot--depends on it." -- Ed Behr "This book might have been titled A Healthy Dose of Fresh Air. How modestly and reasonably Asimov dares to slay the wine dragons. I reveled in each and every thrust and parry." -- Kermit Lynch "Excellent ... [a] thoughtful read... Like a crisp glass of Sancerre, How to Love Wine is an especially refreshing breeze through the hot air and pretension that's so prevalent in wine culture." -- Sacramento Bee "A friendly, well-written approach to enjoying wine, full of low-stress recommendations to help avoid wine anxiety." -- Kirkus Reviews "Forget the snooty trappings of wine connoisseurship-just drink up and enjoy, argues this simultaneously down-to-earth and romantic meditation... Asimov sprinkles in lively reminiscences of his journalism career and the idiosyncratic culture of wine cognoscenti, and enchants and reassures by his warm savoring of the drinking experience." -- Publishers Weekly "Wine fanatics, or those angling for entry to the world of wine, will find comfort in...Asimov's down-to-earth discussion of loving wine. Moreover, what he argues is most essential for a relationship with wine, and what's most refreshing to read, is an approach free of anxiety and open to love." -- Booklist

For many people, wine is an anxiety - inducing mystery as arcane as quantum physics. With so many varieties, it's difficult to know what to choose. That puzzling uncertainty often prevents people from buying and ordering wine, depriving them of an exquisite, deeply satisfying experience, argues "New York Times" wine critic Eric Asimov. In "How to Love Wine", he examines why the American wine culture produces such feelings of anxiety and suggests how readers can overcome fears and develop a sense of discovery and wonder as they explore the diversity and complexity of the world of wine. With warmth, candor, and intelligent authority, Asimov interweaves his professional knowledge and insights with charming personal stories of his love affair with wine, a lifelong passion that began when he was a graduate student on a budget. In a direct, down-to-earth manner, Asimov discusses favorite vineyards, wine's singular personalities, the tyranny of tasting notes - those meaningless, overwritten wine descriptions that often pass for criticism today - and current wine issues. Throughout, he incorporates in-depth discussions of beautiful wines, both easy to find and rare, and pays special attention to those that have been particularly meaningful to him. Thought provoking and enjoyable, "How to Love Wine" will help diminish readers' anxiety, bolster their confidence, and transform them into wine lovers.