Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines

by Natalie MacLean

Written with the trademark wit and verve that has earned MacLean a devoted international following as well as myriad awards for her wine writing, Unquenchable is much more than a shopping list for the thrifty tippler. Packed with colourful stories about the obsessive characters who inhabit the world of wine, the book takes readers on a whirlwind journey to the mountainside vineyards of Germany, the baked red earth of Australia, and the shady verandahs of Niagara--as well as to gorgeous, offbeat locations in southern Italy, the Mediterranean, Argentina, Chile and South Africa--all in search of the best value bottles the world has to offer. Inevitably, she discovers some truly awful wines along the way, but that just gives her an opportunity to provide readers with practical advice about wine faults to be wary of, as well as insights into the shortcuts some producers take.

Unquenchable is a book both wine novices and experts will love.

Genres: Wine, Nonfiction, Food, Travel, Biography

384 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2011

About the author

Natalie's first two books Red, White and Drunk All Over and Unquenchable were each selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year. Her memoir, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising From the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much will be published in May 2023. In the meantime, you can get a copy of her:

Ultimate Guide to Food & Wine Pairing (free)

Email her at natdecants@nataliemaclean.com or find her at:

Amazon
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
TikTok
BookBub
Unreserved Wine Talk Podcast

Natalie was named the World's Best Drinks Writer and has won four James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards. She is the only person to have won both the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award from the James Beard Foundation and the M.F.K. Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing from Les Dames d'Escoffier International.

She is the wine expert on CTV's The Social, Canada's largest daytime television show; CTV News; and Global Television's Morning Show.

To fund her late-night vinous habits, Natalie MacLean holds down day jobs as an author, online wine course instructor and wine reviewer. An accredited sommelier, she is a member of the National Capital Sommelier Guild, the Wine Writers Circle and several French wine societies with complicated and impressive names.

Natalie studied the Romantic Poets at Oxford University with Jonathan Wordsworth. She graduated with honours from the Master's of Business Administration at the University of Western Ontario.

Funny, brainy and unapologetically tipsy, her goal in life is to invite both the novices and the knowledgeable to the table to share a glass of wine (or three).

Reviews

[Emilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

i wanted more of a recommendation list and less of a narrative. she does give a lot of good wines and food pairings, i just didn't want to read her autobiography.

[Chris Fenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Natalie Maclean's approach to wine; it is energetic and down-to-earth. This is someone who truly loves wine without pretension. It is an easy read and a valuable reference as each chapter ends with resources for finding great value wines. We all know there are some amazing lower priced wines out there - but Natalie turns this into a science.

My only concern is the formulaic nature of the book. Each chapter is nearly identically written with her arriving and visiting a particular winery and meeting the vintners. This tends to get teadious and the book lacks surprises. This also means that each chapter can stand alone and not necessarily be read together.

All together a good beach read and one I am sure I will be refering back to for years

[Les Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun visit to wine regions, with lovely stories, and lots of knowledge sprinkled throughout. If you are looking for serious, this isn't the book for you, although Natalie clearly knows her stuff. This is both entertaining, and a good resource.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written armchair travel wine book make you want to have a glass with the author and the vintners she visits around the world. The food pairings are interesting and the dishes she describes are often over-the-top fine dining, but well worth the read.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was glad to find out that some of the wines I chose in college (and keep in mind these were picks because they were cheap and/or I liked the labels) are actually considered good picks!! Good job, me!!:-)

[Chris Leuchtenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a bad book, it just isn't the book for me. MacLean spends a lot of time describing her visits to wineries and discussions with wine makers, which I realized after a chapter is not my interest. I did find some of the histories of grape varietals, such as Pinotage and Riesling, to be interesting as well as the development of some regions, such as South Africa and Sicily. Occasionally, the "Insider Tips" were helpful.

The sections at the end of each chapter organizing her recommendations was closer to what I was looking for. Unfortunately, the long list (as many as twenty) of recommended producers are just too long to be useful, they contain many of the best known wineries, and there is no discussion of why some wineries didn't make the list. I didn't need to read this book to know that Penfolds and Graham Beck make some good wines. Also, many of the recommended "value" wines are quite expensive, often over $20 and sometimes over $40.

[Karen Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I caught bug of the "MacLean" approach to wine appreciation with her first book, "Red, White and Drunk All Over" when I was taking my very first wine tasting course (taught by a somewhat stuffy university professor). I was happy to follow Natalie where ever she led, wine-wise, and I have not been disappointed.

I raise a glass in appreciation.

[JoAnne Holman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Natalie's writing style. I truly felt like I was on this journey with her. Natalie's ability to describe her experiences is spot on. What a fun read and I learned so much more about wine. I definitely want to visit the wineries she went to!

[Marie Dumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that truly takes you on a journey around the world with a relatable and wonderful wine enthusiast! As I start my wine journey, this book was a perfect way to explore this vast world & learn so much along the way. I’m looking forward to reading Wine Witch on Fire next!

[Therese · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for more of a pairing of wine with different foods. She spoke more about her life.

[Nancy Higgs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like wine! This is an interesting read about areas and types of wine. Lots of good information.

[Lorraine Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely tour of the world through wine. Now that I’ve read the book through, I want to go through it again and put it into practice…try the wines, make the recipes, read the books.

[Amy]

P.D. Eastman wrote Are You My Mother?, not Dr. Seuss. I haven't read this book, but that's a bad start.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, fairly lightweight romp through 8 world wine regions and their signature grapes (Australian Barossa Valley shiraz, German Mosel riesling, Niagara pinot noir, South African Cape shiraz and pinotage, Sicilian Mt. Etna nero de avola, Argentine Mendoza malbec, Portugal's Douro port country, and Provence's rosé area). The object here is to find great typical wines that are mostly budget-friendly, and which should be available at the LCBO. Along the way, Nat has encounters that makes one envious, meeting usually three vineyard owners in each region and tasting wine and dining homemade meals in their homes. The end of each chapter offers further info, including links to the recipes she had in each winery, suggested food pairings, and best-value/top-value listings. There are some rather jarring errors in the book, mainly geographic. Some samples: Niagara to Whistler BC as 8,000 km, when it is closer to half that, and not as the crow flies, but by highway through the US; South Africa separated from India by the Pacific Ocean, instead of the Indian Ocean; Mendoza's highest Uco Valley vineyards at 1,000 metres being 1/3 as high as Everest, when it is more like 1/3 of 1/3 the height. A South African winery is spelled two ways on three adjoining pages. Nat also seems to melt before many of the winemakers, but that is somewhat charming for a woman who has spent so much time in the wine world. Overall, though, it is a great read, and you've gotta love a woman who loves her wine.

[todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natalie Maclean once again shows a tremendous gift for conveying a huge amount of information about wine in a most enjoyable format. Here she organizes eight "meals" (seven dinners and Sunday lunch) into chapters focused on specific wine growing regions. Instead of following the usual path of Napa, Bordeaux or Tuscany, her goal is to seek out regions where quality and value go hand and hand. Sicily, Argentina, Provence and the Niagara region of Ontario are four of the locations that most wine drinkers never visit in person or in a glass, but should. Each chapter is organized as a series of interview/tastings with three wine makers in the region. Their personalities shine through brilliantly, making the reader jealous that they weren't invited to listen in. There are tons of actionable ideas for wines to buy throughout the book. The only suggestion I have is to have a glass in your hand as you read. You'll miss it if you don't.

People who don't know my reviews might wonder why, given the above, this is not a five star book. That rating is saved for books that I think are, or should be, classics. I'm not sure if I've ever read a book in this genre that qualifies, but this is as close as it gets. This is one dandy book and is making up many holiday baskets this year! I loved it.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niagara, Portugal, South Africa, Germany - the regions MacLean visits are as varied as the wines she tastes and the people she meets. The book is done in a breezy, conversational style that feels more like a girlfriend telling you her travel tales than a serious exploration of wine culture - and that's a good thing. One of the things that has kept me from exploring wine in the past is that the books I've picked up have always felt so overwhelming and intimidating - if you don't know your tannins from your terroir you can be easily put off by some wine writers. MacLean isn't one of those - she gets that wine writing doesn't have to be stuffy to be taken seriously. Read my full review here: http://bit.ly/RXH9V4

[Literary Chanteuse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book I won here on goodreads and I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was quite easy to read. A hands on guide for wines and which would be the best choices for the lowest amount of $$$. Always important for those who are on a budget but want to still have a nice bottle of wine with dinner. It had information about various wines, the grapes, the process of making wine as well as some of the wine makers. It traveled the globe and gave some historical insight as well which I found very interesting. It also had a few surprises like a section on port wines. Over all it is straight forward, helpful and entertaining.

[Marjorie Elwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

She's bright, funny, sassy, and self-deprecating. Her niche is inexpensive, great-value wines, some of which aren't well-known. And to top it off, she's from my hometown of Ottawa.

The book is organized by days of the week, with one varietal per day except on Sunday, when there are two: one for brunch and one for dinner. MacLean explores the history of the grape, its cultivation, and various vintners who produce it, so the book is a combination travelogue and wine reader. Highly recommended.

[shaggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, Natalie. You won me over when I met you at that random work event back when, and your book reads as perfectly, welcomingly colloquial as you were that day.

Next Wino Wednesday, I'll have to get some of the delicious bargain (read: $15-$20 at the LCBO, dammit) Argentinian reds you've mentioned here. And next time I'm travelling to Italy, I'll have to make a stop in Sicilia to try their wonderful local whites that sadly don't travel well.

[Alexander S........... · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book, I did not know much about "cheap" Wines, but now after reading this book - I did gain some knowledge from nice humorous, literate, lively adventures book...good wine education for "dummies",I do recommend it as table reading, it would help you at lest look smart to your friends as Wines "expert". Thank you for sending me this book...

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's quest for affordable wines takes you around the globe and face to face with some very interesting characters. I read the book as much for her humorous stories as for her bargain wine suggestions. This is not a snobby wine book but rather an entertaining wine tour chock 'o block full of recommendations you can easily find at your local wine store. Cheers!

[moroccanadian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a huge wine drinker, but I enjoyed this book quite a bit! And I definitely learned something.

I appreciated the humour (even in the chapter titles - they are brilliant) and it really got me wanting to book a holiday to wine country. :)

This was a good giveaway to win. Thanks GR!

[Melanie Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

My main complaint about this book is that it doesn't physically transport you to the wonderful places she visits, and that most of the fabulous-sounding wines she mentions don't appear to be available at the LCBO. (What else is new?)

[Natashya KitchenPuppies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Natalie MacLean's books. They are informative while being casual, funny, and intimate.
This is a book to give to friends.
See my full review here - http://livinginthekitchenwithpuppies....

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This so did not help my wanderlust.

Really nice suggestions for pairing wine with food. Extensive brand and wine recommendations. Interesting profiles of the producers. Got a little tired of the author after a while, but nothing too horrible.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didnt actually finish this book. It was interesting but if youre not really excited about learning about grapes then its not overly stimulating. Maybe ill finish it one day!

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining. Some good stories and some great wine recommendations.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, especially if you love wine. Natalie has your laughing from cover to cover and shares some great tips, and finds from around the world.

[Timeflies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was the most fun I have had reading a book in a long time.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book so much I went out and bought it. I want to use is as a reference book - to write in it and make notes of what bargain wines work for me.