Wine Isn't Rocket Science

Starred review from April 17, 2017
While wine blogger Ophelie Neiman’s debut isn’t the first book to attempt to introduce novices to the immersive world of wine, it’s easily one of the best. Neiman begins with a practical approach to selecting wine, offering tips for hosting a party. She explains the pros and cons of various glasses and corkscrews and gives advice on selecting the appropriate wines as well as on chilling wine quickly and how to quickly recover from a bad wine. This brief opening distillation of the subject matter is brilliant—even if readers never get past the first twenty-five pages they still will have acquired enough information to confidently serve wine at a get-together. That strong opening will likely carry readers through the rest of the book, where they’ll learn the flavor profiles of various wines and their respective regions as well as the expected food pairings. They’ll also pick up great tips on selecting the right wine at a restaurant and at the supermarket. Neiman offers all sorts of trivia along the way, on such subjects as the secrets of cork, how to remove red-wine stains, and surefire phrases to make you sound like a card-carrying oenophile. Yannis Varoutsikos’s whimsical illustrations add to the instructional material and keep readers engaged. This book is a terrific introduction to an often intimidating subject.

Starred review from April 1, 2017

French wine blogger Neiman delivers an excellent starting point for novices--and a terrific refresher for those with a little more knowledge. Ignore the framing device wherein each chapter supposedly follows the ventures of a different character (Juliette plans a party, Paul buys wine) into different areas of understanding wine. Far better is how Neiman skillfully distills the essential information about a gamut of topics such as grapes and terroirs, food pairings, and more. The translation maintains a consistent, approachable voice, and readers will be able to skip to sections of interest without confusion. The simply colored line art by Varoutsikos is a marvelous enhancement to the text. As the author proves, wine isn't at all rocket science, but rather can be grasped with relative ease and the confident assistance of the right guide. Exceptionally helpful, particularly for those beginning to learn about wine. VERDICT Highly recommended where books on wine are popular.--Peter Hepburn, Coll. of the Canyons Lib., Santa Clarita, CA

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2017
This engaging guide deconstructs the many nuances of wine that can leave many a novice baffled. The numerous and vividly entertaining illustrations bolster the informative and accessible text, keeping the reader captivated throughout the learning process. Chapters focus on topics that describe party planning, how to taste wine, wine varietals, wine-growing regions, food pairings, and buying wine. The chapter on party planning includes helpful tips, from choosing proper stemware to serving different wines to even removing stains and curing a hangover. The tasting guide covers all the sensory aspects of wine, including colors, aromas, taste, and body. The 60 types of wines described highlight the myriad styles, from the well known (e.g., Chardonnay, Merlot, Port) to the lesser known (e.g., Blaufrankish, Soave, Tokaji). Each is represented with illustrated flavor profiles and brief notes, providing a good overview of the majority of wines a person may encounter in any wine shop. Cheat sheets included at the end summarize each chapter into simple, memorable notes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)