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1. fame and trends are definitely a driving force, which don't always speak to quality. awards and designated quality level have an influence, but these can be misleading. italy is known for having certain top designations that were gained politically, not because of any outstanding quality that they were trying to preserve. winemaking factors can also affect price and often have more of a hand in quality. if the variety is fickle and difficult to grow, lower quantity means higher prices. manual labor is expensive so if you need to, say, hand-pick frozen grapes for an ice wine, a delicate process, the extra cost contributes to the wine's price. overall, lower yields generally bring higher quality fruit, but again with less product, prices will climb. at least the latter few influences are good indicators of better quality.
   
   
2. your palate will change and adjust over time. flavors and textures might impress you early on that you'll find yourself shying away from a year later. try different wines and don't get so hung up on what's better than what. people get so focused on finding the best wine end up chasing the one style they've deemed great and using it as a measuring stick for all else. a long way of saying: keep an open mind. also, wine is about the place it comes from so read up on what you're drinking or just find it on a map. it's a great way to travel from home.
   
   
3. oak does contribute much of the flavors like toast, smoke, vanilla, cinnamon, baking spices, caramel and on and on. the primary flavors attributed to variety are that grape's personality, which is then influenced by terroir, ripeness, vinification processes like lees stirring, malolactic fermentation or oak usage, so the range of flavors is vast and can be quite subtle.
   
   
4. try drinking wines side by side, even just two wines of similar style or origin can help you begin distinguishing the subtle differences in categories. tasting won't do you any good if you're not paying attention so try talking about it aloud or writing your thoughts down. check out How To Taste if you want some more specific guidance.
   
   
5. wine is completely dynamic. there are so many factors that play into even a single bottle of wine's maturity (storage, cork, temperature) let alone what was put in the bottle. wines built for longer aging have more tannin, acidity or sugar (influenced by variety, style and vintage) and sulfur is pretty much a must to age a wine to its potential. in general, reds can age longer because they have tannin but quality rieslings with high acidity can also age for quite a while. regular wine stores do sell ageworthy wines, but to know when the wine is at its peak is more of a mystery, a frustrating fact for many. some people double up on their wine purchase, and some even buy a case just to watch the wine mature over the years. others, like me, read reviews and follow CellarTracker.
   
   
6. newer barrels impart more flavor in the wine, but that's not necessarily a good or bad thing, it just depends on the style. for instance, new barrel usage could overwhelm the flavors of a delicate wine while giving structure and flavors of a heartier variety. barrels are reused, and with each usage they have less to impart than the previous time. eventually they are considered neutral barrels that have little or nothing to offer in flavor but do help to mature wines (micro-oxygenation and such).
   
   hope that helps, even if i breezed through some of it.
   
   edit: formatting failures to repair

andtheodor beat me to the question by question post, but I am up late and can't sleep, so I will take a stab at this as well (BTW, andtheodor is a great resource for wine questions, he/she really knows his/her stuff)

> What are some good online resources?

Wikipedia is a good resource for definitions and wine classification laws by region.

> Is there a simple way to classify wines (beyond red,white, blush)?

Most wines are classified on a menu by red, white, blend, rose. Many good wine lists categorize by region. There isn't a standard way to classify wine. Sometimes it's by varietal, region, or by flavor profile. Depends on what the restaurant or wine shop wants to cater to.

> When I read the words bouquet or spice, does that mean the wine was actually made with these, or just that it gives of that taste/aroma?

Wine is made from grapes (generally speaking, I'm not talking about apple wine and stuff) and most laws don't allow anything to be added to the must (must is un-fermented juice). Bouquet is referring to the nose, or smell. Spice is a aroma/tasting note commonly found in Zinfandel or Syrah. Sometimes it's a baking spice you taste/smell, other times it's pepper.

> What would you call a chianti that uses more than just sangiovese? A blend?

Chianti means it's from that region in Italy. Some Chianti is blended, but has to be a certain percentage of sangiovese to be legally called Chianti. A sangiovese from Tuscany (where Chianti is) that does not adhere to the rules to be called Chianti is sometimes referred to as a "Super Tuscan."

> If it is a blend, does it means that it was mixed after fermentation?

If it is blended before crush while harvesting (then crushed together), this is referred to as a field blend. Most are blended after fermentation, but not always.

> What do you call a wine using only 1 grape?

It is called a single varietal. This is a bit of a misnomer though, as many wines in CA labeled 'Cabernet' for example, only have to be 80% Cab to have it labelled as such. Some wines are 100% varietal, some are blended. It depends on the laws of the region it is from on how it is labelled.

> When pairing with foods, are there any rules of thumb? (besides the old red w/ red, white w/ white).

There are too many pairing rules of thumb to list. Sometimes you contrast a food/wine, sometimes you complement. Depends on the dish & wine. Learn what the parings are for every item on the menu, I'm sure they will train you on this.

> Also, I tried chianti with chicken parmesan and lasagna today. I do not like the wine itself. But after sipping the wine and then taking a bite of food, the food seemed to have a whole new level of flavor. But then going back to the wine after the bite, I didn't like the wine - it almost tasted worse. Should it be a mutual relationship? Or is that just kind of the way it is?

Depends. Italian wines are notorious for being 'food wines' in that they are made to complement a meal. You may just not like the Chianti you were drinking. They range in profile from earthy to sometimes almost fruity. Wine should always be good on it's own, but better with the dish it's served with.

> There seems to be hundreds of different grapes. Are they all suitable for wine?

In general, you are looking for vitis vinifera grapes, those are the species you make into wine (for the most part). Other vitis species are made into wines, but vinifera is what you should concern yourself with. Learn the varietals of Italy, since it sounds like that is what you will need to know.

> Regional wines? I understand that they come from certain regions. But how do they fit into the grand scheme of things? (i know this is a poorly devised question. You have artistic freedom here)

Region is as important as the varietal. A Napa chardonnay is completely different than a white Burgundy (also chardonnay, but from the Burgundy region in France). Sometimes wines are labelled by varietal, sometimes it's by region. Depends on the laws of the country it is from.

> If I know the basics about, say, Chianti, will it pair with food fairly well no matter the brand/blend? For example, If I recommend a Chianti that is 100% sangiovese, will it pretty much pair just as well if I recommend one that used Sangiovese and Canailo grapes?

Not necessarily. You need to know each specific Chianti and what it pairs with, as Chianti can be different in style depending on the producer/bottler . Just because it says Chianti doesn't mean it's a concrete flavor profile. They can span the spectrum in style depending on how they are blended.

> Naming "systems": Pinot grigio is named after a species of grape. Are all single grape wines named by the grape? Also, if they contain more than 1 grape, are they all almost exclusively named by region? How else could/would they be named? I think this kind of goes back to question #2

Varietal labeling is a new world thing (US and Aussie wines) while regional labeling is an old world thing (European wines). France, for example, allows their vin de pays classified wines to label by varietal, while AOC wines must use region (except for Alsace). Italy is crazy because sometimes wines are named for region (Chianti, Valpolicella, Barolo, etc.) while sometimes wines from those regions are named by varietal (sangiovese, pinot grigio, nebiollo, etc.) Just because it is named by region does not mean it is a blend. Red Burgundy from France for example, must be 100% pinot noir by law.

Lots of good questions here, but I agree that you are asking too specific questions. Buy the Wine Bible and read the first parts on intro, viticulture, & wine making, then read the section on Italy. It will take only a few hours to read all that, and you will be in a good position to 'fake' your way through the rest. Good Luck!

I generally recommend getting great accessories, instead of wine itself. I've often been gifted wine by people who aren't into it; of course, I completely appreciate the gifts, but often they're just not to my taste.

Here are a few accessories that I love, that I think would be a great gift for someone who doesn't have them:

• Decanter
  
• High-quality double-hinged corkscrew (doesn't have to be expensive; I use this one at work and it's awesome
  
• An Ah So opener, if he's into older wine.
  
• Ice buckets or marble wine chillers
  
• Nice stemware
  
  If you must get wine, I will say that the only wine I'm always happy to receive as a gift is Champagne.

When you sign up for the Level I course, you'll receive a copy of Sales and Service for the Wine Professional by Brian Julyan. Much of the Level I course will be taught from this book, so it will be helpful to familiarize yourself with it.

I'm a big fan of the World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Janis Robinson, since it focuses on regions and appellations and explores wine from there. Great for getting to know the smaller sub-regions that you'll be expected to know for future exams.

I also have a copy of the Oxford Companion to Wine by Janis Robinson. It's more of a reference manual than a book you can read straight through, but if you come across a term or a region you're unfamiliar with, this will be a great reference.

I also recommend Karen McNeil's Wine Bible and Wine for Dummies for a more conversational, digestible overview of wine. They won't delve too deeply into the Master-Level details, but for Levels I and II, they'll help immensely.

See this link for the Level I syllabus and recommended reading list from the Court of Masters. Hope that helps out. I took and passed Level I about two years ago, and will be sitting for Level II this year. PM me if you have specific questions about the test. Level I is pretty easy if you've been working with wine for a while, so October/November should be an attainable goal.

For overall wine knowledge: World Atlas of Wine is a wonderful resource and looks nice on your coffee table :) You'll learn a lot, and can reference it for specific things that come up.

Since you'll be working for a local winery, though, you're probably not going to be getting questions about how the presence of oyster shells in the soil affects the taste of Chablis. Your customers (ie: restaurants, stores) are going to want to know about your product. So read up on any literature the winery has to offer, and talk to as many people as you can who work there. What is the production process like? Are the grapes sourced from a single vineyard site? Is it aged in oak barrels, or stainless steel? What makes the wines stand out? How can I turn around and sell this to my customers?

Then as far as private events, I am 99% sure you'll get questions about food pairings. What should I serve with this? Would it work for Thanksgiving? So, do some research (tactile, sip and eat!) and get to know your product the same way your consumers will. Taste lots of other wines as well for comparisons. You'll probably hear something like, I typically drink Chardonnays, what would be similar?

And, most importantly, have fun! I used to have a blast running tastings, and I made the most sales by being friendly and willing to chat, and listen. As far as the lingo, you'll pick up on it the more you taste. It's an enjoyable challenge to describe sensory experience.

Hope that's helpful!

Drink This - Wine Made Simple - Great book for beginners

The Wine Bible

The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert - Seems like it's a joke, and it sooort of is, but there's some good information there, and the scratch and sniff thing is actually quite useful.

The World Atlas of Wine - Pretty much the ultimate wine book. If you don't want to spend that much on it, consider buying a used copy of the older edition. You can get it for just a few bucks. Obviously it won't be as up to date, but it's still extremely useful.

Pairing Food and Wine for Dummies - John Szabo is legit

Great Wine Made Simple

Up until recently I worked at a book store, these were the books I recommended most frequently to people. If you want ones about specific regions, there are some good ones out there too. These are all more general.

On the offchance you haven't discovered WLTV yet... go there. Now.

If you're just starting off, it is a great source of quotable info that will help you "fake it till ya make it" so to speak.

See if your employer will let you expense educational materials. I'd recommend the Oxford Companion to Wine as a great general reference book. Not something you can read cover-to-cover, but if you happen across a term or a region that you don't know, it will be in there.

Your priorities:

1. Learn HOW its made. Don't overlook a single step. You need to be unquestionably good when it comes to the basics. Remember that everything is a variation on what is ostensibly a simple chemical reaction. Once you have the basics of production down solid, you'll be able to incorporate other knowledge easily because you'll see how it fits in.
   
   
2. GEOGRAPHY CLASS. Learn your AOCs and your IGTs. This is a lifetime pursuit, so start with the important ones. Learn Bordeaux, Burgundy, Napa, Piedmont and their sub-regions. From there, take a look and see what your store seems to specialize in.
   
   Don't forget to take advantage of your co-workers, distributor/importer reps, and even your customers. Be inquisitive. And most importantly, taste LOTS of juice. That is the best part, after all.
   
   Remember, it's just grape juice \^_^

the book is zraly's windows on the world. (this question gets asked too often)

suggesting a nice bottle is like suggesting a nice color; but since you mention strong reds (aus syrah/us zinfandel), you have to start with 2 bottles of cabernet sauvignon (the most fucking ubiquitous strong red grape in the universe) - and learn to distiguish between where it came from's style (bordeaux) vs new world style (napa). so u'd need 2 bottles for your 1st lesson.

to make your life easy: order this little greysac bordeaux bottle and compare it to the little mondavi bottle, and i think that's a fucking good start. report back.

ps1. sherry lehman sells the zraly book as well, and no im not related to them in anyway.
depending on where you live you may get these bottles at a wine store near you, and the book at a library.

ps2.alternatively, since you've tried aus shiraz and us zinfandel you could order the same grapes from where they have been cultivated for longer (and somewhat originally); namely, a good crozes hermitage and a good primitivo respectively. remember to look where all this shit comes from in a map (north rhone and puglia) - because it is essential to understand geography and climate as it reflects in the the level of sugar or alcohol(same thing) vs acidity of the wine.

> I do decant my wine, but also sometimes use the magic decanter to see the difference in taste. Are the magic decanters frowned upon here?

I had to google this because they are marketed differently here and not called magic decanters. But I have used them when I used to work behind tasting bars. They do a little bit of aerating in my opinion, but I tend to just go with the old fashioned decanter. It's all personal preference.

> If there's any popular books you know of which are easy to read (i.e. more for beginners) then please let me know.

Are you thinking of just tasting books, to help you get in the swing of things? If so, here are a few:

• How To Taste
  
  
• Wine: A Tasting Course
  
  
• Wine Folly - this one is basically a lot of infographics and so it may not be as helpful on its own but in conjunction with one of the others it's good
  
  These are good starter books. Once you get the hang of it, invest in the Oxford Companion or other lovely tomes that may be a bit dense at the moment.

Read Windows of the World. http://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Zraly-Windows-Complete-Course/dp/1454913649/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415111222&sr=8-1&keywords=windows+of+the+world+complete+wine+course

I think it is the best intro, as it is structured and readable beyond that of just a reference source. It is great for giving some direction on where you want to take your own study afterward. (As mentioned, WAOW and TWB are great "second" books in my mind)

I'd also recommend "What to Drink with What You Eat." to serve as a basis for pairing: http://www.amazon.com/What-Drink-You-Eat-Definitive-ebook/dp/B000SEIGUO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415111602&sr=8-1&keywords=what+to+drink+with+what+you+eat. It will be great for a reference on wine interacting with foods you've had little exposure to previously, which could be the case your first time in a higher end restaurant.

The tasting group thing is a great idea if you can put it together, but may prove difficult if you aren't already around people with the same aspirations. It will prove very valuable once you are "in" at a place and want to continue your development.

The biggest key in an interview though is that you've shown a willingness and aspiration to learn. When asked about your previous wine experience, it will go a long way if you can state, "well, I only have direct experience (generic chain restaurant wines) but I've expanded my knowledge of the great wine regions of the world through self study"

Hey there! Fellow college student here. I’m not sure about your school, but I did some research with my school’s viticulture program, it eventually led me to working on some vineyards and learning the ins and outs. I would definitely recommend getting the Wine Bible or Windows on the World they’re insanely informative and helpful. Also, look around town for a wine bar, they usually do weekly tastings, if you’re in a bigger town, Total Wine does monthly classes and tastings a lot. Trader Joe’s has a lot of decently priced good wines, I would check it out, good luck!

FYI Pedro Ximenez is going to be quite sweet, as well as any cream sherry. Fino / Manzanilla is the driest and lightest. Amontillado and Oloroso are going to be nuttier and more oxidative in style. I personally prefer Manzanilla served ice cold. It’s quite refreshing, salty, fresh and easy to drink.

Sherry can be an acquired taste, just keep that in mind. If you can find a bottle of Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla I think that would be the perfect starting point.

EDIT: This is a really great book about Sherry if you’d like to learn more: Sherry: A Modern Guide to the Wine World's Best-Kept Secret, with Cocktails and Recipes https://www.amazon.com/dp/160774581X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kxYsDb75JV34H

These will keep you busy (and, I hope, enlightened) for a while:

The Science of Wine: Extremely useful for explaining such phenomena as corked wines, volatile acidity, "red wine gives me headaches," etc.

The Wines of Burgundy.

Bordeaux

Vino Italiano

World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine

James Halliday's Wine Atlas of Australia

John Platter's South African Wine Guide

Wines of South America Monty Waldin is a bit eccentric for my tastes, but he knows what he's talking about.

The Wines of Spain This is due for revision (last one was 2006), but still excellent.

I have yet to find a satisfactory all-around book on German wines. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

If you totally want to nerd out about it, The World Atlas of Wine is a good thing to have around. It's a great coffee table book. It's also large enough that you could use it as a defensive weapon in the case of a home invasion.

But seriously, Google is your friend.

• Red wine varietal basics from Wine Enthusiast
  
  
• Very brief comparison list of red and white varietals
  
  
• Or if an infographic is more your style...
  
  My rule of thumb is to buy something if I've never seen it before and it's a reasonable price. That way, it is either a positive new experience or a cheap lesson.
  
  Wikipedia is very helpful in learning about what you just bought or drank. In truth, Wikipedia is probably one of the best wine resources out there.

Windows on the World by Kevin Zraly - $18 and you will have a firm foundation of wine knowledge. One of the best features of the 30th edition is a "Best value list: $30 and under" which gives you a great resource to buy good wines that won't break the bank.

Consider the following books, which she may not have, but which any wine enthusiast or expert would enjoy:

Shadows in the Vineyard: The True Story of the Plot to Poison the World's Greatest Wine
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Vineyard-Poison-Worlds-Greatest/dp/1455516104/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427386992&sr=8-1&keywords=shadows+in+the+vineyard

Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Buyer's Tour of France
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374522669/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Back Lane Wineries of Napa, Second Edition
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607745909/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Barolo and Barbaresco: The King and Queen of Italian Wine
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520273265/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As far as basic wine knowledge, pick up Kevin Zraly's Complete Wine Course. It's an awesome introduction into the basics of wine and wine geography. From there, as the top comment says, you should move into the World Atlas of Wine, once you have a basic understanding of the main varietals and styles of each of the main wine producing regions around the world. Zraly's book really helped me grasp the pretty complex concept of wine, and allowed me to start talking about it intelligently when I first started out. It also has little quizzes and tasting guides at the end of each 'course' to really help you integrate what you read into your daily work. You won't be disappointed with it.

One of the fake Pulltaps like this one on Amazon will honestly do the trick and last quite a while. Maybe get the set of 4?

If you really want to spend more money on it, a real Pulltap will be heftier and have better nonstick material on the screw, but you have to pay quite a bit in shipping because it comes from Spain. I picked up this one a while back, and it looks great and works great.

I second Karen MacNeil's Wine Bible as a great place to start. At 900+ pages for the cost of an inexpensive bottle of wine, it's a bargain no aspiring cork dork shoild be without. I'd suggest getting stick-on thumb tabs and labeling each country chapter for fast reference. You don't have to attempt to tackle the whole thing like a novel. Just pick a region that interests you and really concentrate on learning that region by tasting along with reading. That, inevitably will lead to more specialized books and inquiries about specific regions and time periods. Even though it's only a dozen years old, the Wine Bible could already use an update, but IMO, it's still one of the best intro to wine books out there.

If you find yourself hooked on the regions and terrior and want lots more, another one for mapoholics that I'm really keen on is [The World Atlas of Wine]( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1845333012/ref=mp_s_a_1?
pi=SL75&qid=1348009527&sr=8-1). You could think of it as a second year course, or a lifetime reference.

Hey, I made this infographic several years ago! It's more like a fun guide for exploration of some major wines than a dataset of all the wines there are in the world. I was attempting to make sense of categorizing wines by intensity, primary flavors, and sweetness profile. Since then, we've created a book, which is much more detailed and accurate. Still, this poster is fun to explore!

Here are a few threads where we have discussed wine reading. There are some good technical/teaching resources in there but the value of great, impassioned wine writing like Kermit Lynch's Adventures on the Wine Route and Kladstrup's Wine and War cannot be overstated.

I HAVEN'T READ THE ZRALY BOOK THAT WAS RECOMMENDED, BUT I SEE IT RECOMMENDED OFTEN. I HAVE NOT READ "THE WINE BIBLE" IN ITS ENTIRETY, BUT I OWN IT AND IT SEEMS GOOD, AND IT IS ON AMAZON FOR ONLY $14 IN PAPERBACK.

https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Bible-Karen-MacNeil/dp/0761180834

A real beginner's primer:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1402771231/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1415524245&sr=8-2#

Guides to specific producers and wines in different wine producing regions:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1909815373/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1415524245&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1845339452/ref=pd_aw_sims_1?pi=SY115&simLd=1

A guide to understanding the different wine producing region themselves:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1845336895/ref=pd_aw_sims_2?pi=SY115&simLd=1

More advanced reading exploring why wine tastes the way it does (among other things):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0520276892/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1415524687&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

This is just scratching the surface really, there are many many more books along these lines. This is a deep rabbit hole.

Jamie Goode's website (http://www.wineanorak.com - free) and Jancis Robinson's website (http://www.jancisrobinson.com - subscription required) are also extremely good resources.

Happy reading!

The Wine Grapes book by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vuillamoz is a good place to start. Although I am a bit confused - are you hoping to suggest what the ideal climate/elevation is for each grape? Or what characters a particular variety will exhibit in different terroirs? Or are you hoping to look at appellations?

Jancis Robinson is a wonderful source. It does a great job at balancing breadth/depth. Region specific books will go into greater detail, and as a last resort you could just pull up the EU documents.

Definitely agree with this, no substitute for experience. Maybe join a wine tasting group, or food and wine group (I learnt loads from one of these, I miss it), do your own blind tastings etc. Wine is very experiential. You can read stuff and learn about grapes and techniques and all sorts of things but at the end of the day you need to get out and open a few bottles.

That said, this book by Jancis Robinson is pretty good, why not start there? Or maybe this one by Michael Schuster. Either way you'll only get 'advanced' but actually tasting wines (and probably taking notes as you go).

Depending on where you are, wine store tastings can be a great way to taste a lot of things without much cost.

Comparative tastings where you have two or three glasses of wine and go back and forth are very helpful because they really key you into the differences between wines.

Windows on the World and the Wine Bible are both great books, but if you are looking for more of a practical tasting primer, I think [Great Wine Made Simple] (https://www.amazon.com/Great-Wine-Made-Simple-Sommelier/dp/0767904788/) is still a good intro even though it's a bit dated now.

When buying wines, one method you can use is to focus on one country or region at a time. That way you learn about the different wines they make there and have a more approachable set of wines to choose from.

I would buy a good box wine, just as I buy screw top wines.

I'll suggest you use the Vacu Vin to keep partial bottles drinkable for days. It's cheap, $14, and worth it to me. Like you, I used to feel I had to finish a bottle, especially something nice. Now, a glass, close it up and have another later in the week.

Buy The Wine Bible

It's a cross between an Encyclopedia and a Novel. It's a great read, and its extremely thorough and informative. After reading cover to cover, you're ready to take your Level One Sommelier exam.

This book came out last year and I think it's a great introduction to one of the most under appreciated drinks on the planet

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/160774581X/ref=pd_aw_fbt__b_img_2?refRID=0YWYZF6Z5XZDWYXDPZYG

I always highly suggest The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil. It's a great book that is fascinating and contains just the right amount of detail for an intermediate book.

Spend some of the $100 on a book and read about wine. Windows on The World is a good beginners book, Wine Folly is a great reference book too.

These vacuum corks are pretty good and they aren't terribly expensive http://www.amazon.com/Vacu-Vin-Vacuum-Bottle-Stoppers/dp/B000GA3KCE

Maybe you're looking for something more exhaustive, but I really appreciated The Wine Bible, by Karen MacNeil. If I recall correctly, she was a travel writer before discovering wine, so her approach to the book was to go region-by-region and describe the place, the people, the food, the local grapes and then the local wine itself. So, she provides a lot of great context.

I actually read the book cover to cover and it made me want to try every varietal and style in the book. Didn't succeed but had a damn good time trying.

Edit: I gave too many damns.

The three books I found most helpful that aren't super expensive:

For General Knowledge:

Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine

For Tasting:

How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine

For More Detailed Knowledge of Regions:

The Wine Bible

You can get those three for $50 total and if you read through them and do some of the things they say, and try some of what is mentioned, you will notice yourself getting really informed really quickly.

After a few months with these books, you can branch out to the more expensive and more specific books of which there are many.

If I were you, I would pick up this book and then read about the different areas and then buy wines you've read about while making tasting notes in a journal.

I think you'll star tot understand which types of wine you like, and why. Grapes grown in different areas of the world develop differently, and their wine makers make the wine differently which has a major influence on taste.

Most guys (I'm assuming you're a guy) tend to skip white wines which I think is a major mistake. Give some quality produced whites a chance, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. There is a major difference between a mass marketed Sutter Home Chardonnay and a premier cru meursault.

Great Wine Made Simple: Straight Talk from a Master Sommelier https://www.amazon.com/dp/0767904788/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Jv0Gub0YY6P21

Honestly, all of those look way too gimmicky for me. A bit of time in the fridge and (if in a hurry) a wine drop should be sufficient for most wines. A cheap infrared thermometer can also be useful if you're trying to hit a specific temp window.

I bought Great Wine Made Simple by Andrea Immer Robinson a few weeks ago. I found it easy to read and understand.

I am now reading Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Buyer's Tour of France by Kermit Lynch. It is very interesting.

For your next gift holiday (birthday or xmas) ask for Johnson and Robinson's World Atlas of Wine and a rechargeable flashlight so you can read it under the covers when you should be sleeping.

https://www.amazon.com/World-Atlas-Wine-7th/dp/1845336895/

I'm new to wine too so I picked up a copy of The Essential Guide to Wine and I've cross referenced it with recommendations of cheap wines. An article I started with was this 150 best wines under $15. I've found some really tasty wines for $8-$10. One that I'm in love with right now is Chops and Burgers which was around $8 a bottle.

To help put a perspective on wine and it's place in the human experience I'd recommend Tom Standage's "History of the World in 6 Glasses". Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson's "The World Atlas of Wine"

Edit: Correction to add Hugh Johnson as Author

This is literally all you need.

https://www.amazon.com/Pulltaps-Double-Hinged-Waiters-Corkscrew-Stainless/dp/B0055OGPWS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501819622&sr=8-1&keywords=pulltap

and

https://www.amazon.com/Monopol-Westmark-Germany-Two-Prong-Puller/dp/B0002WZR4K/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1501819785&sr=1-1&keywords=ah+so+wine+opener

They make a contraption that combines the two called a Durand and it's over $100. It's super cool, it works really well, but I don't own one.

use the ah-so to open older wines where the cork may be brittle or dry. Everything else let er' rip with the waiters corkscrew.

This book is a great guide for the italian wine regions: https://www.amazon.com/Vino-Italiano-Regional-Wines-Italy/dp/1400097746

Get Windows on the World by Kevin Zraly. It's basically an intro-level wine textbook, and it's a great resource.

amazon link

One of our mods - /u/ChampagneFloozy I believe currently works at an independent wine shop in NC and I'm sure would be able to help select some interesting bottles.

For a start on a book collection, it's hard to go past something like The World Atlas of Wine. The Oxford Companion to Wine is another essential reference book, but probably due for an update sometime in the not too distant future.

vacu vin will get you a few extra days, except for wines like pinot that lose their fruit very quickly. just pump until you hear a click. this is what I use.

My local shop uses this gas (non reactive and heavier than air) on the tasting bottles that they don't finish, and would like to save for another tasting. never used this myself but it seems to work

It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users.
I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!


Here is link number 1 - Previous text "a"

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Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson I've found to be an extremely valuable tool when practicing my blind tasting, and helping me look for particular markers in different regions.

If you want you could buy Windows on the World and run your tastings like how they are presented in the book and then branch off from that.

I highly recommend this book. You'll learn a lot about sherry from it.

https://www.amazon.com/Sherry-Modern-Best-Kept-Cocktails-Recipes/dp/160774581X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510421556&sr=1-1&keywords=sherry

Just take a look at the cork, and if a standard corkscrew seems to be insufficient (the corks shows signs of disintegration or something like that), go for the ol' Ah-So.

This one's 10$ and works really well http://www.amazon.com/Pulltex-Pulltaps-Double-Hinged-Corkscrew-Original/dp/B0055OGPWS/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1372484757&sr=1-2&keywords=pulltex

thats weird. like someone else mentioned, you need to try one of these https://www.amazon.com/Monopol-Westmark-Germany-Two-Prong-Puller/dp/B0002WZR4K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524795106&sr=8-3&keywords=ah+so&dpID=31s-Ug3nQrL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

http://www.amazon.com/Pulltex-Pulltaps-Double-Hinged-Corkscrew-Original/dp/B0055OGPWS

What you're looking for:

• Double hinged fulcrum. See the metallic part, how there's one hinge at the base and a second hinge in the middle? That gives you a metric fuckton more leverage than you can get from any other design that I've seen that isn't some $200 countertop appliance/medieval torture device.
  
• All metal. If it's built out of plastic... yeah, that happens.
  
• Serrated blade. Other people like the smooth blade, but I don't know why; you're using glass a cutting surface, the blade will dull. Quickly. And it doesn't need to be sharp, a serrated blade can simply grab and tear the foil. A smooth blade will be superior the first two or three times you open a bottle, but never again.
  
• Actually decent quality construction. Don't get something made in China. In the cheap ones, nothing lines up, the joins are all loose, it feels wrong in your hand, etc.
  
  I'm thinking about buying like 10 of these and handing them out to all my friends with shitty bottle openers. I was at a party at my friend's house last night, someone asked me to open a bottle of wine, because no one knew how to do it, and I'm "the wine guy" and I look in the drawer and there a bunch of those insufferable wing ones. It didn't go well.
  
  In the meantime, grab some pliers, untwist the worm maybe one full rotation, and put some back into it. You'll probably spill some wine.

I have these and I kind of love 'em. You just keep them in the freezer and then put it in your wine glass.

I was also gifted a corksicle a while back. That thing is terrible, do not waste your money.

https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Bible-Karen-MacNeil/dp/1563054345

Available on Kindle.

Edit: 2nd edition is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Bible-Karen-MacNeil/dp/0761180834/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Is this the Wine Bible you're mentioning?

https://www.amazon.com/Vino-Italiano-Regional-Wines-Italy/dp/1400097746

In that case I suggest you look up Complete Wine Course by Kevin Zraly.

Here is the desktop version of your link

Wine Bible

The World Atlas of Wine

has been an invaluable resource to me in my wine journey.

Monopol !

Monopol Westmark Germany Steel Two-Prong Cork Puller with Cover (Silver Satin) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002WZR4K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AFf2Bb614405D

You need an ah-so!

http://www.amazon.com/Monopol-Two-prong-Superfine-Polished-Finished/dp/B0002WZR4K

I used these before I got a coravin. These plus a can wine of preserve usually helped my bottles get through a week.

https://www.amazon.com/Vacu-Vin-Vacuum-Bottle-Stoppers/dp/B000GA3KCE

If you drink half the bottle in a sitting, only decant what you're going to drink that night.

As far as stoppers - https://www.amazon.com/Vacu-Vin-Vacuum-Bottle-Stoppers/dp/B000GA3KCE

Here you go, took me a while to find them, but here

I've used these drops in the past and did not notice any change in the taste of the wine, personally.

Non-mobile: these

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

I don't know how strict they are, but I use an Ah-So to pull the cork on wines, decant them, funnel them back into the bottle and then replace the cork all the time before going to restaurants. I do it for convenience, not because they care in California. It takes one or two bottles to get the hang of replacing the cork, but it's not hard.

Btw - be careful not to drive the metal of the opener into the rim of the bottle when re-corking. Can break bottle. It's a mess.

Edit - I normally only remove the top of the foil, but you could remove all the foil to make it appear that it was never there.

No its not. Its $40 to $50.