What's a Wine Lover to Do?
Wes Marshall
Reviewed by Dorsey Barger, Fri., May 14, 2010
What's a Wine Lover to Do?
by Wes MarshallArtisan, 384 pp., $17.95 (paper)
In his first book, The Wine Roads of Texas, Wes Marshall said of my wine list at the Eastside Cafe: "A smaller wine list ... but maybe the most perfect small list I've ever seen. Prudently picked ... and each bottle a treasure." (Full disclosure: Marshall is a frequent contributing writer to the Chronicle's Food section.) Well, count me delighted to return a compliment. Marshall's latest book, What's a Wine Lover to Do?, is among the best wine references I've come across.
This book is written for just three kinds of people: those who don't know anything about wine, those who know a little about wine, and those who know a lot about wine. In short, everyone.
What Marshall accomplishes in his book is quite extraordinary. Using a simple Q&A format, he educates novices without talking down to them with answers to questions like, "What makes a white wine white?" or "What happens in fermentation?" He builds on the knowledge of those who already know how to navigate a wine list or browse wine shop shelves and want to delve deeper into wine mysteries with answers to questions like, "Is Chablis part of Burgundy?" or "How do sweetness and fruitiness differ?" And for those who are well-educated in the wine world, he offers reminders of the answers to complex questions such as, "What does Grand Cru mean? What does Premier Cru mean?" And "What is the 1855 classification?" (Answer: It's the ranking of the wines of the French region, the Médoc, in order of their perceived greatness.)
Marshall's book never intimidates by sounding too erudite, nor does it bore by being overly simplistic. He explains the art of food and wine pairing, recommends wineries to visit, and tells the reader why screw-tops are becoming so common. He lets you know where to find the bargains on a restaurant wine list and even offers advice on how to spit at your first big wine tasting – an invaluable lesson if you don't want to stumble home wearing the Petite Sirah.
