World of Wine Book

This book offers a good introduction to the world of wine. It charts all the major wine regions of the world and offers a nonprofessional's account of the way that soil, climate and grapes interact to produce the sweet nectar of the gods that we all know and love. The areas covered range from France to China. The author goes into incredible detail for the most important wine regions such as Bordeaux and the Mosel, showing maps of individual villages. The most helpful aspect of the atlas is the information it gives about what kind of wine to expect from certain areas and recommendations for producers that exemplify regional styles. One drawback is that the choice of focus reflects the author's bias towards France, Germany and Italy. Wine regions in Spain, Eastern Europe and America are not given the attention they deserve because the tastes of the author lie elsewhere. That element aside, anyone who likes wine and wants to know more about what they are drinking can benefit from this book.