A Vintner's Guide to Red Wine: What to Buy and What to Drink in the Year 2000

A book for red wine lovers by a true expert: a woman who not only knows and loves red wine, but lives for it. Sonoma County vintner Joy Sterling brings wine lovers the book they've been waiting for: an up-to-the-minute guide to the best red wines to buy and drink in the new millennium. Culled from a career devoted to wine tasting, wine making, and wine writing, A Vintner's Guide to Red Wine is Sterling's detailed roadmap to help steer you to the finest -- and most affordable -- wines drinkable in the year 2000. Becauseit all starts with the grapes themselves, Sterling begins by exploring the pleasures of each varietal from several angles, such as the differences between California Pinot Noir and Burgundy. In her buying section -- the heart of the book -- she breaks her recommendations into three helpful categories: expensive (over $25); moderate ($12 to $25); and inexpensive (under $12). Focusing on California, but including Oregon and Washington wines, Sterling applies her expertise to the gamut of wine issues. Among these are her favorite vineyards, choice vintages, what to drink now, what foods and wines make the best combinations, and why red wine is considered hip and healthy. Sterling goes a step beyond traditional wine writers, creating a guide as delightful to read as it is informative. A Vintner's Guide to Red Wine is a celebration of drinking, eating, and living well -- and is best enjoyed with a glass in hand.