Jay McInerney on wine? Yes, Jay McInerney on wine! The best-selling novelist has turned his command of language and flair for metaphor on t...
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Dec 16, 2009
Jason
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This book is a compendium of short wine columns initially published in House and Garden magazine. Since the author is primarily a novelist, and not heretofore a wine journalist, the vignettes are colorful and breezy, although a good level of expertise also comes through. Although far from a comprehensive survey of wine, this would be on my short list of first books to loan to a wine neophyte, as it reads quickly and conveys much enthusiasm for the subject matter. On the downside, the author lean
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Jul 13, 2010
Steve
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Collection of short pieces McI did for House & Garden. Published as a book in 2000, so it is a bit dated at times. I wish each of the pieces was dated, to give us a better sense of the timeliness of each article. Some pieces do come off as just a list of wine producers and years for outstanding vintages.
If you know wine, read the "Millennium" piece first - a description of some of the wines he and friends (including Brit novelist Julian Barnes) drank over a series of 4 More...
If you know wine, read the "Millennium" piece first - a description of some of the wines he and friends (including Brit novelist Julian Barnes) drank over a series of 4 More...
May 27, 2009
Dina
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This book should have come with a small ribbon of warning on the cover, something along the the lines of "WARNING - Please know at least a little bit of your shit about wine before proceeding, less you enjoy feeling belittled". McInerney tries to act like he's a beginner in the cellars and, let's face it, he ain't. He doesn't even write about wine for beginners, something I wish I would have realized before picking this up. The huge collection of wines described in the index led me to
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Apr 15, 2009
Anna
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This collection of short wine essays made me want to drink more wine, and made me wish for the ability to throw down $$ on wine as McInerney so clearly can.
The writing is smart, entertaining, and informative. I'm only familiar with one of his novels (Bright Lights, Big City), and I found this just as readable (if not more so) than that book. The essays are generally 3-5 pages, so this is very easy to pick up and put down. I was already a lover of wine when I started reading this, and More...
The writing is smart, entertaining, and informative. I'm only familiar with one of his novels (Bright Lights, Big City), and I found this just as readable (if not more so) than that book. The essays are generally 3-5 pages, so this is very easy to pick up and put down. I was already a lover of wine when I started reading this, and More...
Nov 27, 2010
Eric
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A great book for anyone looking to get a personal understanding of varietals. I have been an enthusiast for over 17 years now, and have learned a lot through experience more than suggestions about what is good. What I loved about this book is that it isn't snobbish or pushy. It doesn't promote price as a standard either which I would agree is not a given of what is good. Lovely read.
Jul 28, 2009
I might have enjoyed this book more had I known even a little, tiny, eensy-weensy bit about French wine. Reading it, I felt like the foreign exchange student who wants to get the jokes, and laughs along when everyone else laughs, just so she won't appear like she's not understanding. In reality, though, nothing makes sense and she just feels awkward, a little bored and ready for the evening to be over so she can just go home and watch dvd's in her native language.
Jan 02, 2012
Sara Hood ('00-'05)
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If you have read McInerney's other wine book this book is unnecessary and a little redundant. Even if you haven't read his other book prepare for repetition. The book is essentially a collection of essays from McInerney's wine column so expect basic wine concepts to be repeated often and the same cast of characters to be introduced over and over.
Mar 22, 2011
Jennell
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Nice easy essay reads about different varietals filled with quips, quality information and expected eye-rolling pomposity.
Most appreciated the chapters about Gaja & the big 3 of Italian B's: Barbaresco, Barolo and Brunello.... probably wise / unwise to read en route to Italy where I spent all of my $ and now need a temperature controlled storage unit.
Most appreciated the chapters about Gaja & the big 3 of Italian B's: Barbaresco, Barolo and Brunello.... probably wise / unwise to read en route to Italy where I spent all of my $ and now need a temperature controlled storage unit.
Aug 27, 2011
Frances
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A Hurricane Irene read...
A collection of essays he wrote working for House & Garden as a wine critic. Overall a good read (read in one sitting) with some great facts and tidbits. However, some essays also felt a bit dated (would have been interesting to know exactly when each essay appeared in the magazine).
A collection of essays he wrote working for House & Garden as a wine critic. Overall a good read (read in one sitting) with some great facts and tidbits. However, some essays also felt a bit dated (would have been interesting to know exactly when each essay appeared in the magazine).
Aug 01, 2011
This book proves to me that I am never going to like anything Jay McInerney writes besides BLBC. If I'd read it when it first came out, I would have at least been more interested in the wine, but McInerney is grating and I have no plans to drink white wine from the early 90s.
Aug 16, 2008
Lisa
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For some reason, this book me forever to finish. I enjoyed it whenever I read it, but I keep finding something else to read. It's a collection of McInerney's columns for House & Garden about wine. And man, did it make me want to drink. A lot. I mean while reading it, I sort of wanted to dedicate the next five years of my life to traveling around the world to drink all these fantastic wines I've never heard of. While he's mostly talking about wines I've never and probably will never drink,
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Aug 17, 2009
Wendy
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fabulous stories on wines and the experiences associated with drinking a particular wine.
Dec 16, 2009
cynthia
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It's a great source of info about great wines of the world - many of which I'd heard about and some that I hadnt. It's full of engaging character sketches and important background on some of the major players in the CA wine market and abroad. The best thing about this book is that the information is presented in digestible chunks - perfect for those who are not super into wine but would like to know a little more. The unfortunate thing is that much of the vintage info and wine buying advice i
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Aug 25, 2009
V.
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This is a great collection of wine essays for those that appreciate wine, but find other oenophile themed books a bit too dry. The author is at his best when he's describing the circumstances that provide the setting for the consumption of great wines. And most essays end with a wrap up of wines you should write down and seek out. There's a convenient glossary in the back for commonly used wine terms. I picked up a consecutive collection of essays just the other day...
Sep 12, 2008
I'm just getting started, the essays are short but without being able to crack open a bottle or read while at the wine store, the lists of appellations and other recommended labels aren't very compelling.
I'll keep plugging through. The details on the grades of grapes regarding the degree of ripeness when harvested was interesting so far.
I'll keep plugging through. The details on the grades of grapes regarding the degree of ripeness when harvested was interesting so far.
Mar 10, 2011
Phil
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A collection of essays, some interesting, most too specific to a particular wine or vineyard, etc. AWorth a browse if you see it in the library, not worth buying.
Nov 24, 2008
Alicia
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Honestly, I tried -- but this book was just so list-filled, so name-drop-y, that I couldn't maintain my interest. These pieces were so obviously meant to sell wine that it's like reading marketing copy -- albeit marketing copy by a talented writer who just happens to have a deadline in five minutes.
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Mar 19, 2011
Sassy ~ Amy
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This was very boring. i was waiting patiently for a murder or something. i do know my wine, so this book was given to me because of that. you must be old, and dull to waste your time.
May 27, 2008
Keith
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Funny, rather irreverant take on wine reviewing; McInerney is extremely knowledgable about wine, and writes about it in an accessible, non "wine-ish" way.
Jun 30, 2008
Emily
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This is a great read for both Macinerney fans and beginner wine afficienados. And further proof that Macinerney is no one trick pony.
Feb 18, 2007
Rachel
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Mcinerney is a very clever writer but only true wine geeks would understand what the hell he is talking about in this book, or care!
Oct 09, 2008
Cynthia
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Excellent wine essays. Funny and informative and that's not always easy to do when writing about wine.
Jul 19, 2008
Amanda
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Great collection of short newspaper articles; fantastic reference book for wine.
Jan 24, 2008
Eric
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a neat book on wine and the authors experiences of drinking the nectar of the gods.
Feb 08, 2012
