The Dirty Guide to Wine: Following Flavor from Ground to Glass

by Alice Feiring

Discover new favorites by tracing wine back to its roots

Still drinking Cabernet after that one bottle you liked five years ago? It can be overwhelming if not intimidating to branch out from your go-to grape, but everyone wants their next wine to be new and exciting. How to choose the right one? Award-winning wine critic Alice Feiring presents an all-new way to look at the world of wine. While grape variety is important, a lot can be learned about wine by looking at the the ground in which it grows. A surprising amount of information about a wine’s flavor and composition can be gleaned from a region’s soil, and this guide makes it simple to find the wines you’ll love.Featuring a foreword by Master Sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier, who contributed her vast knowledge throughout the book, The Dirty Guide to Wine organizes wines not by grape, not by region, not by New or Old World, but by soil. If you enjoy a Chardonnay from Burgundy, you might find the same winning qualities in a deep, red Rioja. Feiring also provides a clarifying account of the traditions and techniques of wine-tasting, demystifying the practice and introducing a whole new way to enjoy wine to sommeliers and novice drinkers alike.

Genres: Wine, Nonfiction, Culinary, Cookbooks, Food and Wine

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 13, 2017

Reviews

[Kerry Winslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and entertaining with highlights of great producers and their stories!

[Karen M Spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if you don’t buy into the cult of biodynamic, organic wine you’ll still enjoy this book.

Alice Feiring, co-authored with the master sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier, dives face first into the root of things by outlining the different types of soil (really bedrock) and how they affect the vine and eventually the product.

In a very charming and humorous prose the author goes beyond varietals and appellations and provides a framework for understanding wine from its literal dirt origins.

Firstly, she goes out of her way to explain that her book isn’t a science book (but isn’t anti-science either). She doesn’t pretend to be a geologist. That’s great because she only scratches the surface about soil science. So if you are concerned this will be too science heavy, don’t fret.

What we have, though, is common ground. For example, she will describe how a particular soil type affects acidity and suddenly connections are made regarding tasting nuances from different varietals in different parts of the world. It’s a unique way to think about wines than what many enthusiasts are used to.

In the end, this book is opinion but it tries to answer the question “What does the Earth do to imbue the flavour profile of the wine?” instead of “What does the grape do?” This seems like an obvious question but many books about viticulture honestly neglect it with the exception of, say, wines grown near volcanos.

I enjoyed the alternative perspective and witty style that Dirty Guide offers.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great resource for connoisseurs and those excited to learn about wine. The author goes into great detail about wines from specific regions. The books provides tools in the form of questions that readers can use to investigate and explore wines they encounter. I️ do not consider myself a wine expert or connoisseur, so much of the detail was over my head. I️ was still able to appreciate learning about how different soils and rocks can influence flavors produced by certain vines. I️ also appreciate how the book provided examples of wines representative of certain flavor profiles, so if I️ want, I️ could probably find some of those wines and do a tasting of my own for some hands on experience.
I’ve given this book 3 stars because I️ am not a serious wine drinker, so while it was interesting, much of the book was not directly relevant to me in particular. However, I️ imagine those who are serious about wine would give this book four or five stars.

[Ed Downs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Con un índice de contenidos totalmente diferente a cualquier otro libro sobre vinos, este texto revela una nueva forma de enfocar esta bebida. ¿Bebemos uvas o bebemos suelo? ¿Cuál es el carácter que define en mayor medida el vino? Para Alice Feiring y Pascaline Lepertier se podría entender que lo primero, es el suelo.

"A Dirty Guide to Wine" es un libro para especialistas que, a través del estilo desenfadado y directo de Alice, desgrana el mundo del vino desde la geología. Diferentes regiones son recorridas por las autoras a través de viticultores de su preferencia, con una clara orientación al trabajo orgánico, biodinámico y natural, alternando información pura y entrevistas entrañables.

Muy interesante para profundizar en los recovecos de esta bebida que tanto amamos. La última página la leí bebiendo un Can Sumoi Perfum 2017, un vino natural del Baix Penedés elaborado por @raventospepe y @francescscala, dos titanes.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really interesting subject and approach to wine but spoiled by some sloppy editing and a focus on the regions the authors like to the exclusion of other significant wine producing regions. I think it would have felt more comprehensive to focus on France (which is what this book is mostly about anyway) and perhaps provide just lists of comparable regions. I also suspect that the wines cited in this book aren't going to be widely available in many export markets thus making for some frustrating reading (perhaps an appendix of their importers/distributors around the world at time of printing would have been useful).

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll be honest, I think this went over my head. I'm a wine beginner and just didn't know enough about all the varieties she was referencing to understand. The geology part made sense, but it was just confusing to keep up with and felt more like a reference book than a guide.

Also, "wet bicycle seat" is not an appealing flavour profile. Not quite sure where she's coming from on that one.

[Les Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great, deep dive into how soil affects wine. It was an interesting exploration of how different grapes on similar soils have things in common. Very heavy on natural, organic, and biodynamic winemakers. Some interesting stories and a great reference. Not sure that audiobook was the best way to consume this.

[Zack Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great guide into the “adventurous” (or who dare to do it the way it’s been done for thousands of years) winemakers however you see them, and their relationship with the earth that breeds the the gems we call grapes. A guide to earth, the bedrock that has been simmering with character for billions of years. (4 and 5 stars I reserve for those monuments in literature)

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise but I was confused by the organization. I had trouble following what bedrock and soil type any region was comprised of because the author seemed to skip from one region to another. I think part of that could be attributed to the premise does not lend itself well to an audio format, and would have been better experienced reading hard copy.

[Michiel Berger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessante kijk op wijn, vanuit de bodem. Wat groeit waar, welke impact heeft de bodemsoort op wat je in het glas proeft. Uiteindelijk helaas iets te droog gepresenteerd. Wel gaandeweg een goed overzicht van veel wijngebieden maar dat was voor mij niet echt nieuw.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful guide of the various wine regions, their terroirs, and how that impacts the wine. Minus one star as it is a bit dense and technical for me but if you already have a good base knowledge of various soils, this would be up your alley. Either way, enjoyable read and informative.

[Sergio Bordenabe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up some interesting fact about soils and how they are reflected in wine flavors. But felt like I was being lectured and talked down to. She comes across as not being open to any other point of view.

[Gerry Sacco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. Learned a lot.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subject matter is interesting, but the writing leaves something to be desired, it was hard to really engage with the author.

[Eugene Segan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bullshit about vitalism and homeopathy. Don't waste your time

[Stephanie S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of wish I had a physical copy as a reference

[Rong Wu · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a 5-euro (or 10-dollar, thanks to inflation) wine drinker, the wines in this book are beyond me. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Truth be told: “wine is first a beverage for drinkability.”

[Andy Boyan]

always learning something new.