The Only Wine Book You'll Ever Need

by Danny May

Anyone who's ever walked into a wine store and found themselves befuddled by the myriad varieties and vintages available knows that choosing the right bottle of wine isn't easy. Fortunately, The Only Wine Book You'll Ever Need takes a simplified approach to this seemingly complicated topic.
Whether looking to build your own personal wine cellar or to brush up on serving wine in social situations, you will
Teeming with 288 pages of valuable information and tips, this book is perfect for wine lovers who want to know what they are drinking.

Genres: Nonfiction, Wine

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some relevant and interesting nuggets of information in this book, but quite a bit of it is either based on popular opinion of the time or just plain outdated. There are more worthwhile publications out there.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

{23 – 111}

[3 ~ 1]

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Expecting more...like expecting a fine vintage, and getting a $4 bottle of Cupcake wine.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to the wine world from grape variety to world regions and food pairing. Highly recommended if you want to start with basic concepts.

[Book Shark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Only Wine Book You’ll Ever Need by Danny May

“The Only Wine Book You’ll Ever Need” is a reference-worthy book about wine for the general public. According to the editorial, Danny May has over twenty years in the wine retail and restaurant business and it shows throughout the book. The author’s mission is to educate the wine neophyte by providing a comprehensive and practical tool as a wine guide. This 288-page book is composed of the following thirteen chapters: 1. A Brief History of Wine, 2. Types of Wine, 3. How Is Wine Made?, 4. What Makes Good Wine Good?, 5. The Quality Spectrum, 6. Wine Flaws, 7. The Region-Versus-Variety Debate, 8. Varietal Wines, Grape by Grape, 9. Wine Regions, 10. The Economics of Wine, Shopping for Wine, 12. Navigating the Restaurant Wine List, and 13. Wine and Food.

Positives:
1. A well-written, well researched book.
2. Straightforward and accessible prose for the masses.
3. The author has great command of topic as evidenced by the material provided.
4. A comprehensive guide that lives up to the title.
5. A succinct yet interesting history of wine including American wine history.
6. A good job of defining the types of wines. There are so many kinds of wines available and so many ways to produce them that it really does require a comprehensive guide to follow.
7. All the key aspects of making good wine are covered. There is a lot more to it than I imagined. Educational.
8. In the chapter titled, “What Makes Good Wine Good?” the author is at his best. His passion for wine is exemplified and he is most engaging.
9. Lets the readers know where the best wines come from and why. Does so with a luxury of details.
10. Dedicates an entire chapter on wine flaws, very enlightening.
11. The impact of the phylloxera vine pest.
12. The varieties of grapes in detail.
13. Throughout the book the author provides useful lists of recommended wines by wine type.
14. The author explains the variety of wine regions and what makes them favorable (climate, soil) to specific kinds of grapes.
15. The economics of wine: competition, supply and demand, government regulation, and the cost of production.
16. A very helpful guide on how to shop for wine.
17. Interesting information on how to buy wine at the restaurant and the actual restaurant markups…
18. An excellent chapter on how to match wine with food. Thank you.
19. Very useful web site reference guide.
20. Glossary and bibliography.

Negatives:
1. Formatting issues on the Kindle. Very disappointed. This occurred every time a code indicator about a specific wine was introduced. For some reason there were problems converting these bullet lists over to the Kindle.
2. The author doesn’t provide any details about himself in the book.
3. Few diagrams and illustrations.
4. The book was published in late 2004 so it may be dated in some areas but overall still a worthy read.
5. The writing isn’t consistent throughout. The author is very engaging and passionate in some areas but dare I say it is flat in other areas.
6. I would have liked a chapter on wine etiquette.

In summary, Danny May succeeds in providing a very good and useful guide. He covers to the best of my limited knowledge of wine, all the key concepts. Formatting issues aside (Kindle version) and a missing chapter on wine etiquette, I really enjoyed the book. As a wine neophyte myself, I needed the education and Mr. May did a wonderful job of providing it. If you are looking for a wine guide, this is a pretty comprehensive and accessible one to get. I recommend it.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the only wine book you'll ever need. It is, however, a great place to start- it gives a great foundation to better understand wines and the wine-making process. I have been making wine with family for years and already know a bit about the general processes so there were places/topics where it seemed to me that there could be more information and further clarity. (I was going to say that perhaps I'm knit-picking too much but given the title of this book, I'm not afraid to knit-pick.) I did enjoy this book though and I think it succeeds in its objective of giving the reader a strong enough base that she/he can learn whatever else they need through experience or more pointed reading/study.

[Wes Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

very informative wine book. i wanted to be able to make good decision ordering wine in restaurants and from wine shops and this book helped tremendously.

[Brenden]

The Only Wine Book You'll Ever Need by Danny May (2004)

[Loretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't the only wine book I'd ever need.

[Andrew Goldstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great way to become introduced to wine. It gives a very good base layer of knowledge from which you can properly build on.

[Morgan Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to the wine! A little book that fits nicely in your purse, too.