Monday, August 27, 2007

Book Review: The Saucy Sisters' guide to Wine

I purchased this book by Barbara Nowak and Beverly Wichman a couple of years ago to read on vacation but never got the chance to do so. I finally sat down last week and got through it in less than a weekend.

The book is well organized and is an easy read. It starts with an introduction to wine, gets into some varietals, accessories, champagne, entertaining, ordering wine in a restaurant and the health benefits of wine.

If you are looking for in depth information, you won't find it here. If you are looking for a basic book that gives an overall perspective, including wine pairings for popcorn and Goldfish, then by all means pick up this book! You'll be laughing and smiling at the stories- especially if you are a single woman.

The only concern I had about the books credibility is their unending focus on Champagne for everything. I guess if you are in love with the tiny bubbles it won't bother you, but I found it a bit annoying and it took away from some of the more interesting parts of the book.

The biggest rave I have is that it makes a good attempt to explain the French labeling systems for their wine (which is mind-boggling confusing) and also offers a good pronunciation guide for many wines, including a good crack at Gewurztraminer.

Overall, I'd give this book a solid 3.5 stars out of 5. If you can pick it up for under $12 I'd say you'll get your money's worth!

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