I still occasionally open wine lists and find myself lost. It’s part of wine’s appeal for me – that it’s an endless odyssey, for there are always more producers, more grapes, more styles and bottles to discover. But that’s exactly what can make it frustrating – seeming to be impenetrably complicated. Finding a book that can help you find a way in can also be challenging. The authors of three recent additions to the ‘introductory’ shelf have taken three very different approaches.
First up is Charlotte Kristensen’s Wine Taste Pair Pour (£20 Mitchell Beazley, 2024). This compact 224-pager is neatly put together and offers a supremely practical approach: the bulk of the book is a conventional, broad-brushstroke guide to grapes and wine styles, complemented by information on how to taste, how wine is made and food-pairing tips. This isn’t a book designed to be read cover-to-cover, but it’s a solid reference point for the novice, unlikely to daunt or overwhelm.
In Wine Confident (£25 Académie du Vin Library, 2024), Kelli White takes a different tack. The ex-sommelier consciously avoids looking at grapes and regions, instead focusing on the principles of wine: tasting, talking, buying, handling, collecting, understanding, making and growing. White’s writing is light and accessible yet entertaining and very, very smart. It’s more holistic in its approach, and there’s surprising depth in places, making it better suited for those who are already intrigued, ready to start disappearing down the rabbit hole of wine.
Last but not least is Tyler Balliet’s Rebel School of Wine (£28 Harper Collins, 2024). Too many introductory books can feel staid and stripped of the joy of wine; Balliet’s is determined to do the opposite. From the flurry of stickers that accompany it to the brightly coloured cover, this is a book that sashays into the room. I love Balliet’s approach and agree wholeheartedly with her that it’s the context that makes wine so fascinating.
It’s an ambitious book, encompassing a vast array of topics – which inevitably means some are brushed over a little quickly, but it’s packed with information. There are illustrations and diagrams throughout, handy box-outs and each section is broken down into bite-sized chunks.
Definitely not a traditional wine book, its diversion from the standard is what makes it stand out – it’s chatty, with Taylor Swift references (yes, I got them) and jokes that make it all a little less serious, a little more fun. If you’ve got a solid collection of classed growths and vintage Port in your cellar, this book isn’t for you. But it might just be perfect for your niece or nephew, son or daughter – the one who you desperately want to drink something other than Blossom Hill.
What’s in your glass?
Winner of a James Beard award, Drink: A Look Inside the Glass (2024, available to stream on Prime Video) is a five-part documentary series that goes behind the scenes at five producers – covering whisky, rum, beer, gin and Cognac. It’s slick and glossy but very soothing watching, offering gentle education via trailblazing names – from Will Lowe MW’s pioneering Cambridge Distillery to Mount Gay and Rémy Martin.
