The Wine Avenger by Willie Gluckstern

It stands to reason that if our foods are now lighter and more dynamic, our wines should be also.

A longtime champion of the victimized wine consumer, Willie Gluckstern debunks the myths and misinformation surrounding the (allegedly) complex subject of wine. His straightforward advice includes:

The wines that go BEST with food�and why.
A cure for label worship: "There are just as many lousy $60 bottles as $3.99 bottles."
How to avoid getting ripped off in stores and restaurants.
How to choose a great wineshop: "Do they know where Italy is?"
Dreary housekeeping tips, such as storage, decanting, saving opened wine, and "that sulfite thing."

Plus, the straight poop on oak, "the MSG of wine," a few well-chosen words for greedy restaurants and retailers ("Those bastards!"), and an unprecedented expos� of mass-market Champagne, including how to find the good stuff by cracking the secret label code.

Irreverent, informative, and controversial, The Wine Avenger is indispensable for beginners as well as enthusiasts.

Q&A with Adam Strum, Founder/Chairman of Wine Enthusiast Companies and Editor/Publisher of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Adam Strum is the Founder and Chairman of Wine Enthusiast Companies and Editor and Publisher of Wine Enthusiast Magazine and heads up the largest group of wine commerce and media companies in the world. With more than 800,000 readers Wine Enthusiast Magazine and its Web site Winemag.com provide editorial content and authoritative reviews and ratings of tens of thousands of wines every year. The Wine Enthusiast Catalog/Web business is the world’s leading inventor and seller of wine accessories and wine storage. Strum, a second-generation, 35-year veteran of the wine business, is a pioneer whose multi-faceted wine-related businesses have had a major impact on increasing wine consumption and wine culture in America. Since 1979 Wine Enthusiast Companies has mailed and distributed more than 300 million wine-related publications in the United States and around the world. Not bad for a husband and wife team who started a mail-order business in their attic.

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Meet Doug Frost: Author, Master Sommelier, and Master of Wine

Doug Frost is a Kansas City author who writes and lectures about wine, beer and spirits. He passed the rigorous Master Sommelier (MS) examination and two years later became America’s eighth Master of Wine (MW). He is one of only three people in the world to have achieved both these remarkable distinctions, and he’s sincerely a nice guy. Doug is also the author of three books on wine including “ Far From Ordinary: The Spanish Wine Guide.” He is a contributor to the Oxford Companion of Wine, and writes about wine and spirits for many publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, Underground Wine Journal, Drinks International, Practical Winery & Vineyard, Wines & Vines, Wines & Spirits, Cheers Magazine, Santé Magazine, and Epicurious.com, and he is the beverage columnist for the James Beard award-winning food section of the Kansas City Star .

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Q&A with Andrea Robinson, One of the Country’s Leading Wine Educators

Andrea Robinson one of the country’s leading wine educators, and is one of only 16 women in the world who have been appointed Master Sommelier by the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers. She was the first woman ever chosen Best Sommelier in the United States by the Sommelier Society of America. In 2007 she was appointed Master Sommelier for Delta Air Lines, for whom she selects all of their in-flight wines as well as develops flight attendant wine training. Her production company JGR Productions produces informative food, wine and travel video content for Delta Air Lines, Borders Books, and broadcast media and she has worked with the Food Channel and PBS. She is the author of eight wine and food books including Andrea Robinson’s Wine Buying Guide for Everyone , and her articles have appeared in publications such as Health , Eating Well , Esquire , Real Simple , Money , and Bon Appétit . She has received a James Beard Award for Broadcast Journalism. Formerly this busy mother of three was the Wine Director at Windows on the World, and was Corporate Director of Beverage Programs for Starwood Hotels.

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Q&A with Leslie Sbrocco, Award-Winning Author, Speaker and Wine Consultant

Leslie Sbrocco is an award-winning author, speaker, wine consultant, and the author of two national wine books. As host of the PBS series Check Please! , she has won a coveted James Beard award, two Tasty Awards, and three Emmy awards. Sbrocco was also a featured judge on the PBS national series, The Winemakers , and she is a regular guest on NBC’s Today Show. She is also a wine educator for Crystal Cruises and Holland America Cruise Lines, and has started a new venture, Thirsty Girl, which aims to empower women in their wine and food choices.

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Exploring Wine: The Culinary Institute of America's Complete Guide to Wines of the World - 2nd Edition

Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith and Michael A. Weiss Description From The Publisher: Three renowned wine experts take you on a glorious and grand tour of the wines of the world in Exploring Wine. An essential and dynamic reference for wine lovers as well as seasoned professionals, this compelling volume penetrates the mystique surrounding wine, freeing you to explore with confidence. Exploring wine demystifies wine as it follows the exciting path from the vine to the table. The book begins by focusing on the basics: grape growing and wine making, an ideal starting point -and compass-for your journey. Next, you will learn how to fine-tune your senses to develop your own approach to the pleasures of wine as the authors explain what to look for in the glass appearance, aroma and bouquet, and, of course, taste. Exploring wine visits the major and minor wine-producing regions in the Old World and the New World, providing a comprehensive working knowledge of the history, geography, wine laws, vineyards, producers, and styles of wines produced in each region. Featuring detailed, specially commissioned full-color maps and beautiful color photographs mostly from the authors own archives along with extensive highlighted interviews with the people who make up the modern global wine business, Exploring Wine brings complex subject matter to life with grace and style.

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The Wine Avenger by Willie Gluckstern

Food and Wine Pairing Tool

Related Articles

Q&A with Adam Strum, Founder/Chairman of Wine Enthusiast Companies and Editor/Publisher of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Meet Doug Frost: Author, Master Sommelier, and Master of Wine

Q&A with Andrea Robinson, One of the Country’s Leading Wine Educators

Q&A with Leslie Sbrocco, Award-Winning Author, Speaker and Wine Consultant

Exploring Wine: The Culinary Institute of America's Complete Guide to Wines of the World - 2nd Edition