Category Archives: Wine Books

The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide – Rhône Valley by Matt Walls (Review)

Posted on 22/09/2025 by dccrossley

As this is the fourth of these Smart Traveller’s Wine Guides I have read and reviewed, you will probably surmise that I am rather taken with them. They are portable, quite inexpensive, and offer the wine lover not only some … Continue reading →

Posted in Artisan Wines, Fine Wine, Restaurants, Rhone, Wine, Wine Agencies, Wine Books, Wine Shops, Wine Tourism, Wine Travel, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide – Switzerland (Review)

Posted on 29/08/2025 by dccrossley

It seems that I am rather enjoying the new Smart Traveller’s Wine Guides published by the Academie du Vin Library. I’ve already reviewed Fintan Kerr’s Rioja and Georgie Hindle’s Bordeaux this year. Last week I took delivery of two more … Continue reading →

Posted in Swiss Wine, Wine, Wine Agencies, Wine and Food, Wine Bars, Wine Books, Wine Festivals, Wine Shops, Wine Tourism, Wine with Curry, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Wines of the Loire Valley by Beverley Blanning MW (Book Review)

Posted on 26/06/2025 by dccrossley

As someone who has been a bit of a wine obsessive for a number of decades, I find that things, in this case a more than average interest in any particular wine region, come around in cycles. The world of … Continue reading →

Posted in Artisan Wines, Loire, Wine, Wine Books, Wine Travel, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bordeaux by Georgie Hindle – The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide (Book Review)

Posted on 16/05/2025 by dccrossley

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Fintan Kerr’s Rioja Guide in the Academie du Vin Library’s The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide series (see review, 31 March 2025), I wanted to explore these handy little guides further. Although four further titles are … Continue reading →

Posted in Bordeaux Wine, Fine Wine, Restaurants, Wine, Wine Books, Wine Tourism, Wine Travel, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate by Alex Maltman (Book Review)

Posted on 25/04/2025 by dccrossley

Between 2010 and 2016 I subscribed to wine’s perhaps most serious journal, World of Fine Wine. On occasion I was able to see my own words on their pages, but back then it was, mostly if not entirely, a bastion … Continue reading →

Posted in Geology and Wine, Minerals and Wine, Subjectivity in Wine Tasting, Tasting Wine, Viticulture, Wine, Wine Books, Wine Science, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rioja by Fintan Kerr – The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide (Book Review)

Posted on 31/03/2025 by dccrossley

Wine books can be pretty expensive these days, at least the serious wine books you and I read. It’s not always the case. Jamie Goode has found a way to make some of his books affordable, but those published by … Continue reading →

Posted in Fine Wine, Restaurants, Rioja, Spanish Wine, Wine, Wine Books, Wine Shops, Wine Tourism, Wine Travel, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review of the Year 2024 #theglouthatbindsus

Posted on 30/12/2024 by dccrossley

In looking back at 2024, the format follows previous years. Here, I will give you a few boring statistics before mentioning the highlights of my year. I like to mix it up, some wine things (wine books, tastings, rising stars … Continue reading →

Posted in Artisan Cider, Artisan Wines, Natural Wine, Review of the Year, Wine, Wine Agencies, Wine Books, Wine Merchants, Wine Shops, Wine Tastings, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jamie Goode on Wine (Book Review)

Posted on 24/12/2024 by dccrossley

First of all, a Very Merry Christmas and Festive Season to all my readers. For each small act of reading one of my articles you have my genuine gratitude. It makes me feel it’s all worthwhile, doing something I enjoy … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy and Wine, Tasting Wine, Viticulture, Wine, Wine Books, Wine Science, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

One Thousand Vines by Pascaline Lepeltier (book review)

Posted on 17/12/2024 by dccrossley

I read quite a few wine books each year, or at least when the publishers drip feed them to us. Some are general books, some specialist, some are an easy read and some require focus and concentration for every paragraph. … Continue reading →

Posted in Artisan Wines, Natural Wine, Philosophy and Wine, Tasting Wine, Viticulture, Wine, Wine Books, Wine Science, Wine Writing, Women in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Alternative Reality by Max Allen (Book Review)

Posted on 26/11/2024 by dccrossley

Max Allen is very much my favourite writer of Australian wine books, though in the press I also much admire the work of Mike Bennie. Max has written at least a dozen wine books, but I came on board with … Continue reading →

Posted in Artisan Wines, Australian Wine, Grape Varieties, Viticulture, Wine, Wine Agencies, Wine Books, Wine Tastings, Wine Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments