A Guide to Wine

by Julian Curry

Covers how wine is made, the different grapes and blends, vintages, types, and wine-growing areas, in addition to how to taste wine, choose it, and store it. Read by the author.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Audiobook, Wine, History

2 pages, Audio CD

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Ericka Clou · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 40% or so was interesting, but the last 60% did a very brief summary of some of the most popular wine regions, and this part, in particular, was less valuable in audiobook form.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only English audiobook on the flight, learnt some shit, forgot most of it

[Anne Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this book on my MP3 player. I really enjoyed the fact that the author himself read it and loved his reading style, inflection and accent. It was a very informative and well written little book. I don't think I could for the life of me remember all the information that was thrown at me throughout (especially the different types of wine made from their specific grapes from each individual region) but I definitely came away with some new wine knowledge, from growing and bottling to tasting and selecting. Fun.

[Aviva Shore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is meticulously structured, thorough, witty and entertaining. I savored every bit of it from the perfectly executed accents (audio version) to the breadth and depth of knowledge and information.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was pretty simple to follow. The information was not over my head book technically. The first and second chapters were really great to provide basic information, matching, self testing, shopping, investment. I love the suggestion of splurging on a $50.00 bottle of pinot noir with bangers & mash for dinner at home with your favorite loved one.

[Andrea Zuvich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good, elegant, yet laid-back introduction to the multitude of things associated with wine: from the variety of grapes to the vintage, all told in a very engaging and fun style. Cheers, Mr Curry!

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now ISO audiobooks read by Julian Curry. This guy is fun to listen to.

A Guide to Wine is a nice overview of the subject. I was surprised at the depth of the wine-region chapters. Though most of the info will stay pertinent forever, there's already some stuff that's outdated as of 2019 (there's already evidence that the tongue map isn't as clear cut as we originally thought, for instance). That's going to be the fate of any reference book relating to something as evolving and fluid (ha!) as wine.

Overall an enjoyable and educational audiobook. Just be wary of any information that may have changed since it was released.

[Christine Allen Carlsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough descriptions of the processes of growing grapes and making wine. In many countries. The pride and traditions of the various regions shows through. I am not ever going to be an expert but I appreciated all the love and effort that goes in to making a quality product. If the label says "Reserve" it is probably a good quality.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great, simple guide to the basics of winery management, tasting tips, and the various regions of wine production. It’s obviously a bit dated now but much of the information is evergreen. Curry is quite affable and manages to avoid snobbery.

[Christine Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Broadstrokes overview of a wide range of wines and regions, intended to be accessible but doesn't go into great depth in either detail for the more advanced or simplfor the true layman, so I'm not quite sure who this is for. Did enjoy the bit about the vineyards and the process.

[Pinta Kauce · Rating 1 out of 5]

the best thing i can say about this book - the narrator has a lovely voice. i just wish the information were accurate and less pretentiously snobbish—especially from someone who seems to think prosecco is simply an italian word for bubbles, rather than a proper denomination.

[Alexandru Andronic · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Read the label, keep experimenting, treat yourself to a transcendal bottle from time to time and don't take it too seriously"

[Becky Mowat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written, by a very witty and clever expert!

[Debra Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative.

[Les Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and educational listen.

[Carrie Naughton]

Informative and fun. Not sure how much I retained, but listening to him read the audiobook was delightful.

[Eeculp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old school guide to grapes and regions. Skimmed through.

[Adri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expectation: 5 hrs of making wine seem cool and sophisticated

Reality: 5 hrs of making wine seem cool and sophisticated

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook in my car and I learned a lot, but the reader rattled off the names of french, italian, german, etc. wines so quickly and in the accent of the country that I couldn't catch the names at times. Also, because I am not familiar with many of those wines, the foreign locations and the varieties, I am thinking it would have been better to have the book, as I could then take it with me during purchases. I learned terms like "finish" and "legs" but I think some of it would be better learned while tasting the wine and discussing it with knowledgeable people. Perhaps after I gain more experience, I can listen to it again and it will be more helpful.

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very basic discussion of general ideas for the most part. The whole latter half is basically a list of wine regions and their characteristics. The person who wrote and reads it is a famous British actor, and he has a great British-actor voice that makes a list of wine regions about as interesting as it could be, but that's not saying too much. Not bad, and thankfully not too long, but only an OK experience overall.

[Steven Yenzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half or so was very informative, and I learned quite a bit about the history and production of wine. Unfortunately, the latter half is mostly taken up by an encyclopedic listing of various grapes and regions and their peculiarities, which was not ideal listening for an audiobook. Nonetheless, Curry's wit and style managed to make what was essential a long repetitive list at least somewhat compelling.

[taarak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and easy to understand


Actor and wine expert Julian Curry has devised a unique audiobook guide to wine which takes the listener to the heart of winemaking and wine drinking in a clear but light-hearted manner. However rich and complex the subject of wine may be, he insists it is also hugely rewarding and great fun.

[Reiden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information but not the most exciting read. I listened to the audio book in an attempt to learn about wine making. The first part of the book was helpful. The final part about each different type of wine and region, was a little laborious to get through. In the end, I did learn some about best practices for storing wine, drinking wine, pairing, etc.

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I "read" this over vacation. If you have 5 hours, it's a thorough, well-organized introduction to viticulture, wine making, buying, tasting, and the major varietals of the major geographical regions. The last section is a little tough to take in without visuals (i.e. maps), but still well worth it.

[Derick Lawson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book gave an overview of wine. The beginning is the making of wine and later the different styles of wine and means of enjoying it. Finally he discusses the different regions and this is meant more as a reference than anything.

[Aiyana PZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this one, and now I’m going back to some of the country sections again. I do wish the audio book had better chapters so I could choose to listen by region or grape type. Good knowledge and humor.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best overview on wine I've ever heard. Done strictly as an audio program by British Actor Julian Curry, his enthusiasm for wine and his wonderful narration make this a real treat.

[Michael Corcoran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really engaging overview of wine. Curry managed to be very detailed and informative without being a wine snob. And since wine is one of my favorite topics I enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Matt Wentz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a comprehensive guide that challenged my comprehension. Too much to learn for a novice like me. I listened to the audiobook, and the author is a very good reader.

[Seth Kenvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

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