Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course (2003) - Wine Book Review

Book Cover

Being a bookworm today crunching books in the library. Try to see if I can self-learn something more (though I have some un-touched books at home stacked up...) Here I come across Jancis Robinson's Wine Course. Let's do a book review.

Jancis is very witty and the book is amusing and full of humors. It has wide coverage of wine regions and what the style of those wine regions are like. This book is more for leisure and for wine lovers who have beginner’s wine knowledge, rather than an introductory course.

What I say so is because 1) each region only contains 1 page and half of it is more on geography and grape name. Not sure people may be able to associate the wine style and brands to these. This is more of terroir fundamental course; 2) the passage is really subjective e.g. on why Jancis thinks the Chablis quality is unstable.
For more educational or referencing purpose, readers should refer to her another book: “Oxford Companion in Wine”, which is more academic and wiki-like. This wine course book would be for beginner wine lovers and these are some side stories that made readers understand indirectly what contributes to the component of wine aromas and flavours.

I have long been admiring Jancis’ writing style, it is very journal-like and first person, therefore feel more narrative. Since having read her “How to taste wine”, you can tell in this Wine Course book, she has put together efforts from various books in more lament terms. That’s why this book can be so reader-friendly.

Before you decided to buy the wine course book, take a glimpse below on YOUTUBE for her first 8 minutes of 1st episode (in fact she posted 9 episodes for their first 8 mins on youtube). Very inspiring and eye-catching to watch. Don't miss your chance enjoying free browsing of vineyards with star anchor Jancis!

Nose of Wine (1)

Despite working till 12 - 1am lately, I really wanna motivate myself by writing at least 2 posts a week... here comes, the nose buds:

The beginners (like me) normally would ask questions like:
" The label says it has apricot, lemon and hint of vanilla...I smell nothing! or I could only say, I smell WINE!"

In fact, there are tools to help you understand the description of wine, help you express your feeling and share your joy with others.

Tool 1: Aroma Kit (Le Nez Du Vin -- Wine Nose)
This is so far the most direct way of introducing the taste to newcomers of wine world.
In each of the little bottle, they are generally presented in the form of wax so that the smell can be captured and long lasting.
They are the extract of the materials ranging from fruit to spice to wood to gas to provide us with a wide range of vials of aromas in wine.
Sometimes you may identify commonality in wine which consists of same grape varietal and this would be exceptionally helpful to those learners which memorize things based on smell.
A typical aroma kit has 36-54 essence, and the kit costs HKD$3000up.

Anyone can buy me one of these as birthday present??? I am happy to blow him / her a kiss, with a warm hug :)