Wine Secrets: Advice from Winemakers, Sommeliers & Connoisseurs

by Marnie Old

In Wine Secrets , forty of the world's top wine experts share the tricks, techniques, and wisdom they've learned through decades of experience. Celebrity chef Jacques Pépin shares the best uses for leftover wine in the kitchen. Sommelier Oliver Boru proves that you sometimes can judge a wine by its label. Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio tells diners the best way to send back an unacceptable bottle. Plus tips on tasting, drinking, ordering, storing, and more.

Each technique is described in the expert's own words, along with a short profile and commentary from author/sommelier Marnie Old. With advice ranging from the basics (does anything pair well with broccoli?) to the extreme (yes, you can freeze open bottles of wine!), Wine Secrets will appeal to beginners as well as established oenophiles.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2009

About the author

Marnie Old is one of the countrys leading wine personalities, known for her common-sense approach, energetic performance style and incisive insights into a complex field. An articulate and passionate speaker, she is Director of Wine Studies at Manhattans renowned French Culinary Institute and an expert on drinks of all kinds. Formerly sommelier of Philadelphias high-profile Striped Bass and education chair of the American Sommelier Association, Marnie also writes a drinks column for Philadelphia magazine. Further information is available at www.marnieold.com. "

Reviews

[Lynne Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book with simple notes and examples to follow. Very well written.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know nothing about wine, and since circumstances have placed me in an environment that expects and nearly requires one to at least know a little, I decided to expand my horizons. Not to mention I'm super curious about how wine is made, how people know what to do when wine tasting (I told you, I know nothing), best tactics when choosing a wine to cook with or gift, what to expect when opening a bottle, etc.

Old gathered together the very best of the best and the brightest of the bright to share from their vats of wisdom on every aspect of wine, from glass-swirling to food pairing to storage to terroir to interpreting labels and beyond. I appreciated how simple and easy-to-read the book was, without making me feel like an idiot.

I didn't feel like any of the experts in this book were suffering from superiority complexes, though they clearly could justifiably do so, based on their knowledge base, level of experience, and number of notable accomplishments. I also appreciated the different voices and styles of writing, as well as the few illustrations and examples that dotted the pages to provide helpful visuals when needed.

If I were to find one fault with this book it would be that Old felt the need to have the last word in each section, adding "Marnie's Corner" to the end each time. Especially since I felt that they were simply reiterating what was already said, for no reason, because the sections aren't long at all. I tended to skip over those paragraphs, opting to simply let the voices from that particular section speak for themselves.

Additionally, I enjoyed how short each section was. It was easy to breeze through a few sections each day and feel like I'd really learned something. This book really did boost my confidence when it comes to understanding and operating in the world of wine (even if you, like me, don't drink); it truly is a fantastic foundation for building expertise and experience. I'd recommend it to any wine novice.