Contents
Introduction Howard G. Goldberg
The $410 Corkscrew Eric Asimov
CHAPTER 2
Wine Writing and Writers
Words, Words, Words Frank J. Prial
Affairs to Remember Frank J. Prial
A Reporter’s Reporter Frank J. Prial
A Beguiling Master of Food, Wine and Words Frank J. Prial
Man of the Left Who Put Wines to Right Frank J. Prial
Pop Goes the Critic Eric Asimov
Bronx Cheer of a Wine Guide William Grimes
CHAPTER 3
The Jungle of Winespeak
Talk Dirt to Me Harold McGee and Daniel Patterson
A Short Course in Wine Tactics Frank J. Prial
Rolling Out Those Chewy Behemoths Frank J. Prial
CHAPTER 4
What You Drink With What You Eat
Big and Beautiful: Lafite for 12 Eric Asimov
A Rule Just Waiting to Be Broken Eric Asimov
Oysters With Miso Glaze Florence Fabricant
Three Meals Point the Way to Fish in Red Wine Sauce Florence Fabricant
How I Spent My Summer of Riesling, by Terroir Frank Bruni
Not So Cold Doctor’s Order Eric Asimov
A Sturdy Red for Winter Eric Asimov
12 Reasons to Look Beyond the Usual Wine Selections Eric Asimov
Wine Enough to Please Them All R. W. Apple Jr.
In a Season of Memory, a Toast to What Endures Alex Witchel
Pairing Wine With Chinese Food Jen Lin-Liu
Enlisting Radicchio’s Bitterness to Balance the Fruitiness Florence Fabricant
A Rustic European Treat of Prunes Poached in Wine Florence Fabricant
A Piquant Appetizer That Brings Out the Best in a Wine Florence Fabricant
America’s Love of Sherry Smolders Eric Asimov
Why Red Wine and Cheese Have Stopped Going Steady Florence Fabricant
Serendipity in the Cellar Frank J. Prial
Excellent Box, Sir Frank J. Prial
Scratch an American, Find an Immigrant Frank J. Prial
Ancient Messages, Hidden in a Dusty Bottle From Long Ago Eric Asimov
Memories Are Made of This Terry Robards
Wine Flavored by the Wind Terry Robards
A Wine Critic’s Feast Terry Robards
The Tastes of Walla Walla, Secret No More R. W. Apple Jr.
CHAPTER 5
After the Meal, Treats That Are Sweet,
Semisweet—and Powerful
From the Thinnest of Wines, the Richest Spirit: Cognac R. W. Apple Jr.
In a Glass, a Swashbuckler Called Armagnac R. W. Apple Jr.
Grappa, Fiery Friend of Peasants, Now Glows With a Quieter Flame R. W. Apple Jr
A Fine Roughness: On the Trail of a Spirit Called Marc R. W. Apple Jr.
Port Is a Welcome Guest at Cocktail Parties Eric Asimov
Vintage Madeira’s Enduring Charms Eric Asimov
Hidden in Hungary, Treasures on the Vine Evan Rail
A Dessert Wine That’s a Public Secret Florence Fabricant
Frozen Vines (and Fingers) Yield a Sweet Reward Julia Lawlor
CHAPTER 6
A Magnum of Miscellany
Natural Winemaking Stirs Debate Eric Asimov
New Wine in Really Old Bottles Eric Asimov
A Thinking Man’s Wines Eric Asimov
The Truth About “Suitcase Clones” Eric Asimov
Lack of Sex Among Grapes Tangles a Family Vine Nicholas Wade
The Earliest Wine: Vintage 3500 B.C. and Robust John Noble Wilford
Cave Drops Hints to Earliest Glass of Red Pam Belluck
In Wine Country, Pruning Isn’t Just Part of the Job Jesse McKinley
When Velvety Red Is Only Skin Deep Eric Asimov
A Zin Oasis in Mexico’s Dusty Hills Eric Asimov
Illegal Sale of Rice Wine Thrives in Chinese Enclaves Kirk Semple and Jeffrey E. Singer
Japanese Wineries Betting on a Reviled Grape Corie Brown
Wines Have Feelings, Too Eric Asimov
Too Broad a Stroke for Labeling Wines Eric Asimov
The Rites of Vintage Assembly Frank J. Prial
CHAPTER 7
Made in the U.S. of A.
Pickers to Vintners: A Mexican-American Saga Eric Asimov
Gratification, but Not the Instant Kind Eric Asimov
A Cult Winemaker Tinkers With Success Eric Asimov
Garages for Chardonnays, Not Camrys Patricia Leigh Brown
Growing in Napa: Club, and Camp, for Wine Lovers Patricia Leigh Brown
Too Sweet to Be Invited to Dinner Eric Asimov
Finessed and Light: California Pinot Noirs With a Manifesto Eric Asimov
Letting a Grape Be a Grape Eric Asimov
Is There Still Hope for Syrah? Eric Asimov
The Hard Stuff Now Includes Wine Eric Asimov
The Day California Shook the World Frank J. Prial
A Dissenter’s View of California Wine Frank J. Prial
An Actress’s Presence Is Still Felt Terry Robards
A Farewell to the Baron of Bully Hill Frank J. Prial
CHAPTER 8
You’re Feeling Continental? This Is For You.
In a World of Fine Wine, There’ll Always Be a France Eric Asimov
The Paler Shade of Bordeaux Eric Asimov
The Soulful Side of Bordeaux Eric Asimov
The 1855 Ratings, Etched in Stone (Almost) Frank J. Prial
Bordeaux Family Values Frank J. Prial
Stealing From Thieves Frank J. Prial
Bordeaux Loses Prestige Among Younger Wine Lovers Eric Asimov
Burgundy Learns to Bottle Consistency Eric Asimov
An American Hears the Call of Burgundy Eric Asimov
For Chablis Fanatics, Ah, 2007 Eric Asimov
What’s New in Beaujolais Is Not Nouveau Eric Asimov
A Potion From a Town Named for Love Frank J. Prial
Surprises From the Jura, Jagged in a Velvet-Smooth Universe Eric Asimov
The Rewards of the Pampered Grape Eric Asimov
Modern Love for Ancient Vines in Southern Italy Eric Asimov
A Rare Tasting of Conterno Barolos Eric Asimov
An Italian Prince and His Magic Cellar Eric Asimov
Some See a Wine Loved Not Wisely, but Too Well Eric Asimov
In Apulia, Emancipation for the Grapes R. W. Apple Jr.
In Spain, These Hills Are Alive (Again!) Eric Asimov
Rooted in Rioja, Traditions Gain New Respect Eric Asimov
Txakolina, a Tongue-Twisting Name for Simple Pleasure Eric Asimov
German Rieslings, Light and Dry Eric Asimov
Austrian Wines Have a Voice, and It’s Excited R. W. Apple Jr.
An Honest Day’s Work From Vienna Eric Asimov
Meanwhile, Back in Alsace Frank J. Prial
Hungarian Dry Wines? Forge Ahead Eric Asimov
CHAPTER 9
South of the Equator
New Heights for Andean Wine R. W. Apple Jr.
South African Goes From Never a Sip to Vineyard Fame Barry Bearak
A Winemaker, Transplanted R. W. Apple Jr.
Meals in the Bush, Now With Fine Wines R. W. Apple Jr.
An Australian Sibling Comes Into Its Own Eric Asimov
CHAPTER 10
The Night (and Day) They Invented Champagne
(and Sparkling Wine)
Taking Champagne Back to Its Roots Eric Asimov
In Small Houses, Champagne Finds Its Soul Eric Asimov
Champagne’s Servants Join the Masters Eric Asimov
Buried Treasure in Baltic Has Vintage Taste John Tagliabue
A Greener Champagne Bottle Liz Alderman
Spring Comes for a Prince of Champagne Frank J. Prial
They Make the Champagne of Champagnes Frank J. Prial
A Drink With Drama Frank J. Prial
Royal Wedding Wine May Be Bubbly and English Eric Asimov
In Albuquerque, French-Style Wines That Sparkle Sarah Kershaw
Produced in Champagne, but What Do You Call It? John Tagliabue
A Second Life in Champagne Roger Cohen
CHAPTER 11
Wherein Contrarianism Bursts Forth
Taking a Closer Look at Wine’s Conventional Wisdom Eric Asimov
Berkeley’s Wine Radical, 35 Years Later Eric Asimov
A Rosé Can Bloom in Winter, Too Eric Asimov
So Who Needs Vintage Charts? Frank J. Prial
Three Cheers for the Also-Rans Eric Asimov
Screw Tops Gain Acceptance Worldwide Frank J. Prial
A Sommelier’s Little Secret: The Microwave William Grimes
For a Tastier Wine, the Next Trick Involves Harold McGee
CHAPTER 12
They Don’t Make ’Em Like That Anymore
His Big Idea Is to Get Small Eric Asimov
The Tastes of a Century Frank J. Prial
A Twilight Nightcap With Alistair Cooke Frank J. Prial
A Wine Man Who Vowed to Drain the Cup Frank J. Prial
Remembrances of a Champion of the Champagne World Frank J. Prial
The Greatest Vintages of Alfred Knopf, 90 Terry Robards
By Wine Besotted: A Fantasy Fulfilled Eric Asimov
A Wine Spree Worth Savoring Frank J. Prial
A Restaurateur Who Bought for Himself Frank J. Prial
Naked Came the Vintner Warren St. John
He Can Bring the Wine and the Music Eric Asimov
Alois Kracher, Austrian Winemaker and Advocate, Is Dead at 48 Eric Asimov
Nelson Shaulis, 86, Is Dead; Toiled to Improve Vineyards Howard G. Goldberg
Joe Dressner, an Importer With No Use for Pretense, Dies at 60 Eric Asimov
CHAPTER 13
So, There You Are in a Restaurant
Postcard From Paris: We Drank! We Ate! Frank J. Prial
If the Wine Is Off . . . Frank J. Prial
Just Pour, He Said, and Put a Cork in It Frank J. Prial
Americans Prefer It by the Glass Frank J. Prial
On Tap? How About Chardonnay or Pinot Noir? Eric Asimov
Sometimes, Half a Bottle Is Better Than One William Grimes
Of Wine, Haste and Religion Roger Cohen
A Stroll Through the “21” List, Circa 1945 Frank J. Prial
CHAPTER 14
With Your Kids at the Table
Can Sips at Home Prevent Binges? Eric Asimov
The Driest Wines (and the Drollest) Are in the Museum Howard G. Goldberg
The Big Grape: Nouveau York City Howard G. Goldberg
Jefferson on Wine: “The Only Antidote to the Bane of Whisky” Howard G. Goldberg