Swallow This

by Mark Phillips

Tune out the critics. Ignore ratings, medals and the wine glass manufacturers' lobby. Swirl, smell and sip. But above all, don't spit. That's the nutshell description of the progressive message in the new book "Swallow This" is written by the iconoclastic host of public television's "Enjoying Wine with Mark Phillips". "Swallow This: A Progressive Approach to Wine" brings a truly new, practical, every-day method to wine appreciation. Here are just some of the topics Mark covers: when to microwave wine; when to freeze wine; why it's silly to buy highly rated wine; the advantages of storing wine in Tupperware, plastic bottles or Ziploc bags; the hazards of keeping wine in your living room - or still worse, your kitchen; how to blend wine at home to make it taste better; the benefit of adding ice cubes to wine; the four sentences to say to a wine store clerk to get good wine every time; when to send back a wine at a restaurant, even if you just don't like it; and, what's the best wine to serve and/or bring to a dinner party. "Swallow This" brings a refreshingly original style of instruction to a crowded market of wine books. And it aims to change the way the world views wine.

Genres: Wine, Nonfiction

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 23, 2009

About the author

There are many authors named Mark Phillips. You have reached the default page for new books under that name, with no middle initial. A Goodreads Librarian can link the books to specific author pages. See this thread for a little more information. Librarians, check the comments/notes for more details.

Reviews

[Benj FitzPatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a section about hobo wines, what more could I want...

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sparkling White toast to Mark Phillips! This book broke my wine inferiority complex in the face of critics like Robert Parker whose picks I just don't always agree with. A great read if you're into wine but don't want to deal with all the B.S. that comes with it! Phillips' "Progressive" approach both makes sense and is novel; his tips for remembering the region, grape, and year that you love to help you find and love similar wines comes in handy for me all the time! Phillips also made me feel way better about my "always the right time!" wine-enjoying attitude when he listed such wine pairings as "what to drink when you're mowing the lawn," "the best 'Bum Wines' to drink on a budget," and "the best thing to pair sparkling wine with" - which turns out to be absolutely everything at any time of day. I got some great recommendations for good-value sparkling to try, and more importantly, gained a lot of confidence in being able to identify, profile, replicate, and communicate the types of wines that suit me best. Thumbs up!

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fun read. I think Mark Phillips must throw a great party, and be fascinating to talk to. (Though by the time he got to recommending wines to go with grocery shopping I'm afraid for his liver) He obviously obsessively loves wine, and it comes through on every page. I also like his emphasis to drink whatever you like, no matter what someone else thinks. But sometimes the anti-snobbery reached the point to becoming it's own kind of snobbery. And I think there is some beginner information skipped because he has such an extensive knowledge of the subject that it didn't even occur to him that some people might not know what he's talking about. I'd still recommend it if you were interested in learning about wine.

[Lindon Gareis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Met the author at a Scottsdale Arizona function, I am not sure he is a very likable guy??? Had some fun ideas about wine: consumption, storage and purchasing. If you consider yourself a wine snob, or your friends think you are one, don't waste your time here. This book is for the real wine drinkers, "everyday Joe American".

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read that gives an irreverant view of wine.