Ever dreamed of being a wine connoisseur? Impress your friends with your expertise about red, white and rose. Karma Group Literary Luminary, Philip Blackwell, shares these recommended books that cover everything from the history of wine to organic wine-making and vineyard tales. Santé!
1. ![]()
![]()
Red and White by Oz Clarke
In Red & White, Oz Clarke has reinvented wine writing – gone is the dry reference book of palettes and flavours. This is a book to read for
pleasure, rather than merely refer to when you’re trying to impress your friends. Combining fast-paced witty memoir with a passionately opinionated guide, Oz pops the cork on his life-long love affair with wine.
2. On Wine by Hugh Johnson
Hugh Johnson is one of the great authorities on wine, having written about the subject for over six decades. This book chronicles some of the most important developments in the history of wine for the last half-century. Not only does Johnson speak of the character of wine with a marvellous freshness, but he also expertly describes the people who are paired with the world of wine.
3. Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette & Justin Hammack
When it was first released, Wine Folly introduced a whole new audience to the world of wine, making it easy for complete beginners to understand the fundamentals thanks to their straightforward advice, simple explanatory graphics and practical wine-tasting tips.
4. ![]()
Wine for Normal People by Elizabeth Schneider
This is a cheerful yet respectful new take on the world of wine from the creator of the successful podcast. It leaves some of the traditional snobberies of wine tasting behind and introduces complete beginners in a down-to-earth handbook which is also beautifully illustrated. A must-have resource for millennials looking to learn all about wine.
5. Larousse Wine by David Cobbold & Sebastian Durand-Viel
On the more luxury end of the spectrum, Larousse Wine is an expert’s
guide to wine tasting from the publishers of Larousse Gastronomique. A short history and analysis of each region are then followed by the wines it produces with all of the reasons that make the area and flavours unique. It also covers decanting, how to read a bottle and organic wine-making.
Excitment wins