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American Wino: A Tale of Reds, Whites, and One Man's Blues
A professional booze writer whose life spins out of control tries to piece it back together by embarking upon an epic wine-fueled adventure that takes him to every corner of the U.S. Part vision quest, part guidebook, part journey into the bizarre tapestry of American life, it will make you laugh, make you cry and teach you a whole lot about wine.
Former Playboy magazine nightlife columnist Dan Dunn has a made a career out of drinking. Yet this man’s man—a connoisseur of beer and whiskey—knew next to nothing about one of the major drinks enjoyed the world wine. When a fateful tasting experience coincided with a serious existential crisis, Dunn decided to hit the road on a journey of discovery. To quench his thirst for knowledge (and be able to throw down with the experts), he would educate himself about the industry glass by glass, from winery to winery, in nearly every region in the United States.
His bold 15,000-mile road trip took Dunn from Sonoma, California, to Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, where he twirled, sniffed, and sipped glass after glass of a vast array of wines with vintners, savants, and celebrities, including Kurt Russell and “The Most Interesting Man in the World,” Jonathan Goldsmith. Dunn’s mission was to transform himself from a heartbroken schlub who barely knew the difference between Merlot and Meritage, into a confident connoisseur capable of wowing others simply by swirling some fermented grape juice around in his mouth and pronouncing it “troubling, yet brilliant.”
In American Wino, Dunn shares it all—the good, the bad, the sublime. As his wine knowledge grows and becomes more complex, he shares it with the reader in the form of digestible, actionable nuggets in each chapter. It’s like a wine-tasting course at your local community college extension program, only with more sex and less crushing despair. An intoxicating blend of travel writing, memoir, and booze journalism that pairs earthy humor with fine wine for hilarious and enlightening results, it is the story of one man’s journey to find himself—and everyman’s journey to better understand the true spirit of this divine elixir.
Former Playboy magazine nightlife columnist Dan Dunn has a made a career out of drinking. Yet this man’s man—a connoisseur of beer and whiskey—knew next to nothing about one of the major drinks enjoyed the world wine. When a fateful tasting experience coincided with a serious existential crisis, Dunn decided to hit the road on a journey of discovery. To quench his thirst for knowledge (and be able to throw down with the experts), he would educate himself about the industry glass by glass, from winery to winery, in nearly every region in the United States.
His bold 15,000-mile road trip took Dunn from Sonoma, California, to Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, where he twirled, sniffed, and sipped glass after glass of a vast array of wines with vintners, savants, and celebrities, including Kurt Russell and “The Most Interesting Man in the World,” Jonathan Goldsmith. Dunn’s mission was to transform himself from a heartbroken schlub who barely knew the difference between Merlot and Meritage, into a confident connoisseur capable of wowing others simply by swirling some fermented grape juice around in his mouth and pronouncing it “troubling, yet brilliant.”
In American Wino, Dunn shares it all—the good, the bad, the sublime. As his wine knowledge grows and becomes more complex, he shares it with the reader in the form of digestible, actionable nuggets in each chapter. It’s like a wine-tasting course at your local community college extension program, only with more sex and less crushing despair. An intoxicating blend of travel writing, memoir, and booze journalism that pairs earthy humor with fine wine for hilarious and enlightening results, it is the story of one man’s journey to find himself—and everyman’s journey to better understand the true spirit of this divine elixir.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 9, 2016
You really don’t want to trade tales with Dan Dunn. His stories will kick your stories’ asses, no problem.
I hung around with Dan for a few days in Napa and Sonoma last year. After sharing some wine and some stories I realized Dan is fucking cool guy, and he can rattle off a hilarious story with ease.
You know Dos Equis’ Most Interesting Man in the World? Well, Dan is buddies with the real-life dude. Seriously. I didn’t believe the guy when he told me this, but Dan pulled out his phone and showed me pictures. Oh yeah, then we talked boxing a bit (I’m a huge fan). What picture does Dan show me next? No big deal, just him and Sugar Ray Leonard chilling. And I didn’t even get to ask Dan about his stories from the Playboy mansion.
Dan’s a booze and “nightlife” writer and former columnist for Playboy. If the publication has a distilled spirit in its title, Dan’s probably written for it. The titles of his previously published books should give you some idea of his approach to writing: Living Loaded: Tales of Sex, Salvation, and the Pursuit of the Never-Ending Happy Hour and Nobody Likes a Quitter (and Other Reasons to Avoid Rehab: The Loaded Life of an Outlaw Booze Writer.
A lot of wine writing can be either stuffy to the point of suffocation or uninspired to the point of meaninglessness. Dan’s writing avoids both of these pitfalls. He pretty much gets loaded, waits for hilarious shit to happen, and then writes it down.
I just finished reading his new book American Wino: A Tale of Reds, Whites and One Man’s Blues, which is quite a romp. If you’re going to pick up a copy when it comes out in April, I have one suggestion: Don’t read this book sober. It was likely written under the influence of one or more substances and should be read under similar influences. “But I can’t read buzzed,” you say? Yes you can. With this book, you most certainly can.
After a series of unfortunate events including the death of his brother and his girlfriend bailing, Dan sets his sights on a trans-American road trip. The goal? Well, to see new places, get drunk, meet some chicks on Tinder, and, along the way, check out some wineries from lesser-known states. (They make vino in all 50, after all.) Dan is no Master of Wine candidate. Spirits and beer are his main focus. So he decides to become a “wine expert” by meeting up with as many winemakers, and drinking as much wine, as he possibly can.
This book is not a reference guide to American wine. It is not an analysis of current winemaking trends in smaller wine-growing states. It’s a personal travel narrative littered with bottles from Nebraska, New Mexico, New Jersey, Georgia, and many places in between.
Dan keeps an open mind about wineries from all over the country, which is refreshing. As a huge fan of Virginia wine (and wines from places like Arizona, Maryland, Pennsylvania and others), I have no patience for dismissals of entire wine regions from self-absorbed oenophiles.
But Dan doesn’t blow smoke up a state’s ass either. Climate, soil, aspect, winemaking equipment and know-how, there are damn good reasons the best wines in the world come from places that have these elements all lined up. But that’s not to say darn good wine can’t come from unexpected places. The story of most famous wine regions started with someone planting vines in a spot other people thought was crummy.
Dan writes: “most of the learned folks I’ve come across are of the opinion that almost all the great domestic stuff comes from one of three places — California, Oregon, and Washington — with New York and Virginia occasionally fielding a winner now and again. As for the rest of the wine, well, they mostly think it’s shit.”
The critics come at these winemakers like rabid badgers, intent on clawing out their eyes and chomping off their privates. And while these plucky pups harbor no illusions of supplanting Napa, Tuscany, or the Rhone any time soon, they’re every bit as serious, hardworking, and innovative as the industry’s heavy hitters. And after decades of relentless abuse (or utter disregard) they just don’t give a shit what you think about them anymore.”
Like me, Dan has a blue-collar appreciation for the farmer-winemaker-underdog. Even if the wine doesn’t taste great, Dan appreciates the gumption: “That takes grit, a large helping of blind faith, and an unshakable belief in one’s ability to endure in the face of near impossible odds.”
But the book, like wine from Florida, has some serious flaws.
I’m not some pearl-clutcher who gets offended easily. (The last time I felt offended was when another metalhead criticized my love of the Polish black/death metal band Behemoth.) But Dan’s writing is often crass for crassness’ sake. Like an adolescent throwing around the c-word every time he gets a chance, Dan gets mired in his own excess.
The guy actually writes a multi-page dialogue scene between him and his penis. No kidding. And I was in junior high the last time I heard so many references to ballsacks, nutsacks, dickwads, taints and buttholes. He frequently overplays his hand by using too much hyperbole. He compares himself to Bukowski and Dylan Thomas. Luckily for Dan, a good dose of self-deprecation saves him from coming off as a total prick.
Although this could be called a “wine book,” the wineries Dan visits get little more than a brief overview, and the actual wines get a cursory mention. Much of the time, Dan’s fantasizing about hot waitresses or reliving past jaunts. It’s fun to read, but disappointing if you’re expecting to come away with a lot of knowledge about American wine culture.
The road trip structure of the book is jumbled up by flashbacks to childhood in Philly and internal dialogue about his ex-girlfriend. Jumping back in time can be quite jarring for a reader expecting the story to move forward. For example, the chapter on Texas starts off with four pages set in Texas before shifting to 12 pages of back-story in Philly. By the time we jump back, I forgot we were in the Lone Star State. The flashbacks generally take a similar structure. Dan is driving around somewhere and, all of the sudden, we transition to the past via the “Oh, that reminds of this one time when...” method. The flashbacks are frequently funny and often vulgar, but there are way too many to keep the story moving forward.
Some of the most memorable and endearing back-story deals with Dunn’s family. Like the story about his cousin who steps on a Christmas ornament ball, ignores the wound, gets gangrene, and has to have his leg amputated below the knee. I swear, it’s funny the way Dan tells it. His overdue reunion with his mother in Philly is hilarious, touching and sad, and when Dunn deals honestly with his emotions it comes across as authentic.
The book is also packed with side bars, little diversions about particular grape varieties (not “varietals”) and wine terms. Sometimes he goes off on a completely unrelated topic, like the time he channels his inner Key & Peele and embarks on an epic rant about the awesomeness of Liam Neeson.
I obviously enjoyed the book enough to write 1,400 words about it. Even though I only hung out with Dan for a few days, I would vouch for the guy. If we were drinking and fight broke out, I’d have his back. And Dan doesn’t need anything from this lowly wordslinger, anyway. The book jacket is plastered with praise from people who actually make money from their artistic endeavors. (Ever heard of Maynard James Keenan?)
Dan is pretty damned successful as far as alcoholic beverage writers go. He ends his trip as a keynote speaker at the posh Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival. He’s slated to speak there again this year, celebrating the launch of his book. So he clearly knows what the fuck he’s doing.
The flaws in this book? They’re like moderate doses of volatile acidity and brettanomyces, off-putting to some, but one could argue they add character. The book surely isn’t corked. As I said earlier, you should read it while consuming large quantities of wine. If you take my advice, you’ll enjoy yourself regardless.
Cheers!
I hung around with Dan for a few days in Napa and Sonoma last year. After sharing some wine and some stories I realized Dan is fucking cool guy, and he can rattle off a hilarious story with ease.
You know Dos Equis’ Most Interesting Man in the World? Well, Dan is buddies with the real-life dude. Seriously. I didn’t believe the guy when he told me this, but Dan pulled out his phone and showed me pictures. Oh yeah, then we talked boxing a bit (I’m a huge fan). What picture does Dan show me next? No big deal, just him and Sugar Ray Leonard chilling. And I didn’t even get to ask Dan about his stories from the Playboy mansion.
Dan’s a booze and “nightlife” writer and former columnist for Playboy. If the publication has a distilled spirit in its title, Dan’s probably written for it. The titles of his previously published books should give you some idea of his approach to writing: Living Loaded: Tales of Sex, Salvation, and the Pursuit of the Never-Ending Happy Hour and Nobody Likes a Quitter (and Other Reasons to Avoid Rehab: The Loaded Life of an Outlaw Booze Writer.
A lot of wine writing can be either stuffy to the point of suffocation or uninspired to the point of meaninglessness. Dan’s writing avoids both of these pitfalls. He pretty much gets loaded, waits for hilarious shit to happen, and then writes it down.
I just finished reading his new book American Wino: A Tale of Reds, Whites and One Man’s Blues, which is quite a romp. If you’re going to pick up a copy when it comes out in April, I have one suggestion: Don’t read this book sober. It was likely written under the influence of one or more substances and should be read under similar influences. “But I can’t read buzzed,” you say? Yes you can. With this book, you most certainly can.
After a series of unfortunate events including the death of his brother and his girlfriend bailing, Dan sets his sights on a trans-American road trip. The goal? Well, to see new places, get drunk, meet some chicks on Tinder, and, along the way, check out some wineries from lesser-known states. (They make vino in all 50, after all.) Dan is no Master of Wine candidate. Spirits and beer are his main focus. So he decides to become a “wine expert” by meeting up with as many winemakers, and drinking as much wine, as he possibly can.
This book is not a reference guide to American wine. It is not an analysis of current winemaking trends in smaller wine-growing states. It’s a personal travel narrative littered with bottles from Nebraska, New Mexico, New Jersey, Georgia, and many places in between.
Dan keeps an open mind about wineries from all over the country, which is refreshing. As a huge fan of Virginia wine (and wines from places like Arizona, Maryland, Pennsylvania and others), I have no patience for dismissals of entire wine regions from self-absorbed oenophiles.
But Dan doesn’t blow smoke up a state’s ass either. Climate, soil, aspect, winemaking equipment and know-how, there are damn good reasons the best wines in the world come from places that have these elements all lined up. But that’s not to say darn good wine can’t come from unexpected places. The story of most famous wine regions started with someone planting vines in a spot other people thought was crummy.
Dan writes: “most of the learned folks I’ve come across are of the opinion that almost all the great domestic stuff comes from one of three places — California, Oregon, and Washington — with New York and Virginia occasionally fielding a winner now and again. As for the rest of the wine, well, they mostly think it’s shit.”
The critics come at these winemakers like rabid badgers, intent on clawing out their eyes and chomping off their privates. And while these plucky pups harbor no illusions of supplanting Napa, Tuscany, or the Rhone any time soon, they’re every bit as serious, hardworking, and innovative as the industry’s heavy hitters. And after decades of relentless abuse (or utter disregard) they just don’t give a shit what you think about them anymore.”
Like me, Dan has a blue-collar appreciation for the farmer-winemaker-underdog. Even if the wine doesn’t taste great, Dan appreciates the gumption: “That takes grit, a large helping of blind faith, and an unshakable belief in one’s ability to endure in the face of near impossible odds.”
But the book, like wine from Florida, has some serious flaws.
I’m not some pearl-clutcher who gets offended easily. (The last time I felt offended was when another metalhead criticized my love of the Polish black/death metal band Behemoth.) But Dan’s writing is often crass for crassness’ sake. Like an adolescent throwing around the c-word every time he gets a chance, Dan gets mired in his own excess.
The guy actually writes a multi-page dialogue scene between him and his penis. No kidding. And I was in junior high the last time I heard so many references to ballsacks, nutsacks, dickwads, taints and buttholes. He frequently overplays his hand by using too much hyperbole. He compares himself to Bukowski and Dylan Thomas. Luckily for Dan, a good dose of self-deprecation saves him from coming off as a total prick.
Although this could be called a “wine book,” the wineries Dan visits get little more than a brief overview, and the actual wines get a cursory mention. Much of the time, Dan’s fantasizing about hot waitresses or reliving past jaunts. It’s fun to read, but disappointing if you’re expecting to come away with a lot of knowledge about American wine culture.
The road trip structure of the book is jumbled up by flashbacks to childhood in Philly and internal dialogue about his ex-girlfriend. Jumping back in time can be quite jarring for a reader expecting the story to move forward. For example, the chapter on Texas starts off with four pages set in Texas before shifting to 12 pages of back-story in Philly. By the time we jump back, I forgot we were in the Lone Star State. The flashbacks generally take a similar structure. Dan is driving around somewhere and, all of the sudden, we transition to the past via the “Oh, that reminds of this one time when...” method. The flashbacks are frequently funny and often vulgar, but there are way too many to keep the story moving forward.
Some of the most memorable and endearing back-story deals with Dunn’s family. Like the story about his cousin who steps on a Christmas ornament ball, ignores the wound, gets gangrene, and has to have his leg amputated below the knee. I swear, it’s funny the way Dan tells it. His overdue reunion with his mother in Philly is hilarious, touching and sad, and when Dunn deals honestly with his emotions it comes across as authentic.
The book is also packed with side bars, little diversions about particular grape varieties (not “varietals”) and wine terms. Sometimes he goes off on a completely unrelated topic, like the time he channels his inner Key & Peele and embarks on an epic rant about the awesomeness of Liam Neeson.
I obviously enjoyed the book enough to write 1,400 words about it. Even though I only hung out with Dan for a few days, I would vouch for the guy. If we were drinking and fight broke out, I’d have his back. And Dan doesn’t need anything from this lowly wordslinger, anyway. The book jacket is plastered with praise from people who actually make money from their artistic endeavors. (Ever heard of Maynard James Keenan?)
Dan is pretty damned successful as far as alcoholic beverage writers go. He ends his trip as a keynote speaker at the posh Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival. He’s slated to speak there again this year, celebrating the launch of his book. So he clearly knows what the fuck he’s doing.
The flaws in this book? They’re like moderate doses of volatile acidity and brettanomyces, off-putting to some, but one could argue they add character. The book surely isn’t corked. As I said earlier, you should read it while consuming large quantities of wine. If you take my advice, you’ll enjoy yourself regardless.
Cheers!
July 20, 2023
Started this book and struggled through the first few chapters that was in 2021.
Picked it up to try again. Finished it the wine info was interesting 🤔
Picked it up to try again. Finished it the wine info was interesting 🤔
September 1, 2018
I laughed out loud numerous times. Mr. Dunn (I think he'd hate I referred to him that way) goes through more emotions than most of us ever will admit and he does it shamelessly. I enjoyed it immensely....
March 9, 2019
This book could’ve been, should’ve been, so much better; as it is it felt like an excuse for Dan Dunn to make a lot of jokes that generally weren’t even a little bit funny.
Oddly, my favourite bits were the musical ones. And the Maynard James Keenan stuff was great. (I’m a massive Tool fan, but I might like Caduceus wine even more.) Ultimately, though, this feels like an opportunity missed.
Oddly, my favourite bits were the musical ones. And the Maynard James Keenan stuff was great. (I’m a massive Tool fan, but I might like Caduceus wine even more.) Ultimately, though, this feels like an opportunity missed.
November 9, 2017
I can’t recommend that anyone read this book, however I did laugh out loud multiple times. I want to like the casual writing but there’s only so many times I can read about a 40-something man making a drunken pass at a 20-something woman. (Zero times.)
May 1, 2019
I didn't realize it when I bought it, or when I started it, but this might be the lowest-rated book I've read on Goodreads. I can see why. But stay with me!
Dan Dunn starts with a premise - he'll travel through all 50 states, taste some wine from each state, and report back. He's doing this as a way to learn more about wine, because he's committed himself to giving a talk in front of a room of wine experts at Pebble Beach a few months down the road.
Sounds like a good premise, right? I like wine. I like travelogues. Especially those involving driving across America.
And Dunn definitely does provide good reports on wines from a handful of states. But a few others earned a mention even though he couldn't find any wine. Or he did find some but he didn't really talk about it. And he just skips a bunch of states entirely.
Throughout the journey, Dunn is also trying to make peace with the death of his brother and the loss of his long-time girlfriend. He talks a lot about both. Often more than the wine.
Also throughout the journey, Dunn is crass, and crude, and brags about how he scored free accommodations for his trip despite not really being the wine expert he claims to be.
I'm really only giving this book 3 stars because there were enough interesting and heartwarming moments that I made it all the way through in spite of the many less enjoyable parts.
Dan Dunn starts with a premise - he'll travel through all 50 states, taste some wine from each state, and report back. He's doing this as a way to learn more about wine, because he's committed himself to giving a talk in front of a room of wine experts at Pebble Beach a few months down the road.
Sounds like a good premise, right? I like wine. I like travelogues. Especially those involving driving across America.
And Dunn definitely does provide good reports on wines from a handful of states. But a few others earned a mention even though he couldn't find any wine. Or he did find some but he didn't really talk about it. And he just skips a bunch of states entirely.
Throughout the journey, Dunn is also trying to make peace with the death of his brother and the loss of his long-time girlfriend. He talks a lot about both. Often more than the wine.
Also throughout the journey, Dunn is crass, and crude, and brags about how he scored free accommodations for his trip despite not really being the wine expert he claims to be.
I'm really only giving this book 3 stars because there were enough interesting and heartwarming moments that I made it all the way through in spite of the many less enjoyable parts.
May 4, 2019
Mildly entertaining romp through the US as the author deals with the death of his brother and his desire to be intoxicated as much as possible. I enjoyed the descriptions of wineries and wine makers in unexpected places (West Texas and Arizona produce good wine--who knew?). The author's grief over his brother's death is nearly crushing at times. I could use less of the attempts to pick up women 20 years his junior, even if it's played for laughs.
I'm always down for a good road trip, and the premise of this one (writer specializing in alcohol-themed pieces deals with the breakup with a girlfriend and the death of his brother by embarking on a trip to learn more about wine production across the states) caught my eye. But ultimately it felt like a conversation with a man that has never really grown up and is somewhat surprised to find it happening in his 40's. I felt sympathetic but part of me wanted to slap him.
I'm always down for a good road trip, and the premise of this one (writer specializing in alcohol-themed pieces deals with the breakup with a girlfriend and the death of his brother by embarking on a trip to learn more about wine production across the states) caught my eye. But ultimately it felt like a conversation with a man that has never really grown up and is somewhat surprised to find it happening in his 40's. I felt sympathetic but part of me wanted to slap him.
September 7, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I loved the concept and story that went along with it. I love the idea of using a journey to heal, and whenever wine is involved, it’s usually better! The author did get on my nerves after a while. But there were many laugh out loud moments. I also found myself relaying anecdotes from the book to others, which is generally a good sign that I’m at least paying attention enough to remember the story....
As I hinted previously, I like wine. Alot. Like may be too soft a word for my relationship with the fabulous fermented fruit juice. So I went into this hoping for a little more actual wine related information. I did appreciate what I got, though was disappointed to find much of the book was more about the authors personal struggles. I did however get some good suggestions for up and coming wine regions to visit in this lovely country. I would recommend for a laugh or two, and some interesting anecdotes about road travel in the US.
As I hinted previously, I like wine. Alot. Like may be too soft a word for my relationship with the fabulous fermented fruit juice. So I went into this hoping for a little more actual wine related information. I did appreciate what I got, though was disappointed to find much of the book was more about the authors personal struggles. I did however get some good suggestions for up and coming wine regions to visit in this lovely country. I would recommend for a laugh or two, and some interesting anecdotes about road travel in the US.
June 4, 2019
Life’s pursuit of the ultimate information and a few drinks along the way.
Ass aching, hangover inducing and ghost talking trek across country turns into one of the outrageous adventures. For us pansy asses who travel to vineyards only with comfort this book took the extra mile. Learning was the key but the laughs I raved allowed me to input some of the “velvety terms” enjoyed and will re read , this time with pen and in hand to list the wonderful wines . Thank you
Ass aching, hangover inducing and ghost talking trek across country turns into one of the outrageous adventures. For us pansy asses who travel to vineyards only with comfort this book took the extra mile. Learning was the key but the laughs I raved allowed me to input some of the “velvety terms” enjoyed and will re read , this time with pen and in hand to list the wonderful wines . Thank you
September 30, 2025
I love the way Dan Dunn tells a story! I am right in sync with his wit and pop culture references as he traversed this country. His history of locales and wine knowledge were very insightful and helpful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, however, it is a bit raw and, at times, raunchy. For this reason ONLY, I cannot recommend it to everyone...thus my 3 star rating.
Will I read another book by Dan Dunn, ABSOLUTELY!
John Dacquisto
Will I read another book by Dan Dunn, ABSOLUTELY!
John Dacquisto
January 19, 2024
I wrote a bunch of shit, but the app failed so…
3.75/5
Learned a bit about American wine.
A lot of forced, cringey jokes.
The emotional aspects were appreciated.
Some concerning remarks about women…
3.75/5
Learned a bit about American wine.
A lot of forced, cringey jokes.
The emotional aspects were appreciated.
Some concerning remarks about women…
August 4, 2016
Dan Dunn is the drunk that the we all wish would wind up on the stool next to ours - witty, self-deprecating, and above all, crazy knowledgeable about the hooch. American Wino is a prefect intro to the world of American wine (and the ways in which it’s quickly becoming as steeped in snobbery as the European scene). This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in wine, or who’s ever felt the need to flout the foolish strictures of AA and pull a booze-fueled “geographic” in order to cope with some tough times. Hilarious, insightful and unexpectedly moving stuff from a worthy heir to HST’s booze-god throne.
April 16, 2016
Not sure this was time well spent on my part.
I almost stopped reading this two or three times but kept at it. It always seemed to me that this would be more appropriate at a comedy club or a play. Too long near the end so I skimmed over the final chapters. There is no pretense here but for me the reason I continued was the well crafted self- dialogues using slang and vernacular . If you enjoy crude jokes you might enjoy this.
I almost stopped reading this two or three times but kept at it. It always seemed to me that this would be more appropriate at a comedy club or a play. Too long near the end so I skimmed over the final chapters. There is no pretense here but for me the reason I continued was the well crafted self- dialogues using slang and vernacular . If you enjoy crude jokes you might enjoy this.
November 28, 2016
Tongue in cheek and sometimes funny, I did learn a lot from this book. But I periodically felt like I wanted to walk away from the sexist, braggart of an author who wrote it. The fact he disclosed some of his own trauma, which led him to be that way, probably helped give him just enough likability that I did finish the book.
Read
September 13, 2023DNFed the book on page 21 after this bit: "The biggest miracle I'd ever pulled off was to convince a Playboy Playmate to sleep with me one time back in 1998. And she cried so much afterward that it didn't even seem worth it." Didn't even get to the wine part, but I don't think me and the author would ever get along.
August 1, 2016
Fun and easy read but don't expect to gain much wine knowledge. Does give some good reviews on wineries throughout America that would be interesting to visit but this is more about his adventure and life's history.
January 6, 2016
Entertaining, but mostly a collection of traveler's tales. A quick, light read, but readers hoping to learn about American wines will be disappointed.
April 22, 2016
I didn't learn too much about wine but I laughed a hell of a lot.
May 12, 2016
I was reading this book to be entertained and to learn about wine.....I was entertained. The author is a funny writer, but it was more about one man's blues than American reds and whites!
June 6, 2016
Very funny at times, but ultimately an uninspired frat boy road trip tale.
December 29, 2016
I now feel validated in my choice of Kung Fu Girl as my go-to riesling.
January 11, 2017
Needs more wine talk and less whining.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews