Offered up as a lively and comprehensive alphabetical discussion of some 350 types of wine grapes, Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes could double as a crush course in viticulture as taught by the award-winning, U.K.-based wine writer and coauthor Margaret Rand. Beginning with three lines for Abouriou ("on the way out, and won't be much missed") and ending with nine pages for Zinfandel, the book certainly delivers. And the approachable scholarship included in the introductory pages--touching on everything from the difference between a hybrid and a cross and the floating definition of "ripe"--provides an informative overview. Blending Clarke's Mourvedre-like, dryly tannic, intoxicatingly kicky writing style with the firm Syrah-esque backbone of Rand's collaboration, Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes is premium juice.


Book Description
The first authoritative, illustrated reference book on the world's great wine grapes in nearly twenty years.

Almost all wine lovers understand that the grape variety or blend in a wine is the most influential factor in a wine's taste. In Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes Clarke explains and illuminates these qualities with concise and vivid descriptions of the 350 major grape varieties of the world, in an easy-to-use, A-to-Z format.

Special features on the classic varieties are exquisitely illustrated with original paintings, and double-page spreads on other major grapes describe the varieties, their history, geography, character, and cultural context. The transformation of grapes into wine is fully detailed and illustrated with charts that provide essential information on which grapes are allowed in each wine. The book concludes with a glossary of technical terms, a comprehensive index of grape names and their synonyms, and a general index.

With its luscious artwork, evocative text, and practical information, Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes makes a uniquely attractive and useful gift-a delight to browse and a mine of interesting information.





About the Author
Oz Clarke, one of the world's leading wine experts, is a featured advisor to winetoday.com, the New York Times wine Web site, and he has won all the
major wine writing awards. He lives in West London.

Margaret Rand is an award-winning wine writer and a former editor of Wine magazine, Wine & Spirit International and Whisky magazine. She contributes to a wide range of wine publications and Internet sites and has been general editor, then wine editor of Oz Clarke's Wine Buying Guide for the last 11 editions. Margaret has also worked as an editor on several other Oz Clarke titles.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Grape varieties are the key to understanding modern wine. Knowing more about grapes adds a whole new dimension to appreciating wines, and some of the most interesting developments in wine have been prompted by fresh evaluations of traditional grape varieties. Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes is an indispensable guide to this aspect of the world of wine: places, people, history, styles, and flavors -- and much of the research has never been published before.

Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and fifteen other classic grapes are covered in depth -- with features on tradition and innovation, methods used in the vineyard and the winery, and different wine styles around the world. The people behind the world's best wine talk about what they do and what they are trying to achieve.

Fifteen more grapes are covered in detail, and Oz and his partner in this book, Margaret Rand, cover more than 300 grapes in all. In addition, they help decode the composition of wines that are named after a place or an appellation rather than a grape variety so that you'll know what goes into those Champagnes that you enjoy.