This year again delivered diverse and meaty releases of beautifully-written and designed wines and spirits books. There was a palpable shift in mood, no doubt catalysed by events from within the drinks industry and beyond: brows have lowered and the hedonistic, poetic and humorous sense the subjects at hand have come vividly to the foreground. For the benefit of all readers and wine and spirits lovers – and arguably of authors – such is the sense of enjoyment that runs through the pages of the titles below.
No doubt a sign of the times, there seems to be an ever-greater appetite to explore the essence of the enjoyment of all these unique drinks; an urgency to deploy knowledge while also validating the poetry – and fun – of the pursuit of both storytelling and drinking. This is the thread that runs through all the stand-out titles of 2024 – now sit down and enjoy, each sip and page at a time.
Best wine books 2024
One Thousand Vines: A New Way to Understand Wine
By Pascaline Lepeltier; Mitchell Beazley, £45/$55
Originally published in French, the English edition – beautifully illustrated by Loan Nguyen Thanh Lan – of Pascaline Lepeltier comprehensive oeuvre retains a pure, unapologetic francophone edge, in point of view as well as sensibility. Nothing wrong there, especially given that One Thousand Vines is not an academic pursuit: while it offers in depth technical knowledge, it’s foremost a guide to a personal, poetic (albeit informed) interpretation of wine as a cultural artefact. Lepeltier, the recipient of Decanter’s 2024 Rising Star Award, distills her expertise as sommelier while also leveraging her background as a philosophy graduate student. To the benefit of all those seeking a plunge into the essence of wine culture.
Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti?: A Shortcut to Drinking Great Wines
By Dan Keeling; Quadrille £30/$45
Dan Keeling does it again. After the brilliant – literally and otherwise – Wines from Another Galaxy (2020, Quadrille), Noble Rot’s editor returns with another substantial and beautifully-designed tome showcasing his combination of sophisticated wit, seductive self-deprecation and entertaining geekiness. Under the guise of 21st century dilettantism, Keeling takes readers on a journey through a wondrous collection of topics, regions, producers and wines. From Switzerland to Tuscany by way of Jura and, of course, Burgundy; from the ‘Restauranteur’s Holy Grail’ to the wine ‘equivalent to a feel-good romantic comedy’; the scope is broad but Keeling’s words are sharp and focused. Edward Albee (and Martha) would approve.
Behind the Glass: The Sensory & Sensorial Terroir of Wine Tasting
By Gus Zhu MW; Academie du Vin Library £20/$30
A book on the science of wine flavour and tasting might not fit one’s idea of an entertaining read. But that is exactly what Gus Zhu MW delivers in this engaging yet thorough, approachable yet rigorous work that covers the chemistry of flavour, the physiology and psychology of tasting, and everything in between. The true value – and beauty – of this book is to outline the relative and fluctuating nature of tasting by explaining the complex processes behind it. It provides a scientific foundation to the poetic, subjective experience of wine appreciation – making it all the more enjoyable and fascinating.
A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France
By Steve Hoffman; Crown Books £25/$30
Perhaps less a wine book than a meditation on self-discovery, cultural clashes and the individual as a part of a complex, shifting collective, Steve Hoffman’s memoir is a particularly fitting read for our troubled times. Both an inspirational narrative and a cautionary tale, his journey from Minnesota to a small village in the Languedoc, family in tow, is at times funny, at times moving and a pleasure to read throughout. His candid tone gives a frank, vivid picture of life in rural France – and of the emotional landscape…
Source : https://www.decanter.com/wine/the-best-wine-and-spirits-books-of-2024-546940/
