Book ideas for the wine lover in your life
6 December 2018 by Rebecca in Classic Wine Library, Wine and spirits
As we flip our calendars over to December it’s time to admit that, yes, the festive season is upon us. If you’re anything like the Classic Wine Librarians there will come a point when, exhausted from shopping and socialising, you yearn for some peace and quiet, a comfortable chair, a glass of wine and a good book to curl up with. May we suggest that our wine books are perfect for the Christmas-weary oenophile, and for the rest of December they are available with a 25% discount. Just visit our online bookshop, choose your books and enter the code Crackle18 at checkout to claim your discount. Read on for our top book picks.
Some of our best buys for long winter evenings
Check out our latest titles, critically acclaimed books and bestsellers. They make great presents – for your loved ones or for yourself.
Port and the Douro (fourth edition) – NEW RELEASE
Richard Mayson’s classic book on Port and Douro wines is consistently popular, particularly at this time of year. In the comprehensively updated new edition, published last month, he reminds us why Port is a drink that continues to fascinate wine-lovers and win new fans. The chapter on vintage port covers harvests as recent as 2017 and provides information on vintages going back to 1844. Peppered throughout with anecdotes, potted biographies of those who shaped the industry and insights into quirks of the trade, this extensive and engaging guide to Port is an essential book for any wine enthusiast’s library.
Sake and the wines of Japan – NEW RELEASE
Sake is well on its way to becoming the next big thing. Here, Anthony Rose takes us through the history of sake production, from offerings to the gods made from rice chewed by priestesses, to the heyday of sake, when master craftsmen – tojis – were instrumental in a brewery’s success or failure, to sake’s fashionable new wave. He details sake types, explains the ingredients and brewing methods, demystifies polishing ratios, explores the issues around ageing sake and discusses how best to enjoy the drink. A personal selection of sake producers are profiled. Also features a chapter on Japanese wine.
Côte d’Or: The wines and winemakers of the heart of Burgundy
Raymond Blake’s thoroughly enjoyable account of the prestigious and fascinating Côte d’Or was shortlisted for the Domaine Faively Wine Book of the Year at the Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards earlier this year. Amongst the compliments received for this fresh take on one of the world’s most influential wine regions was this one from the Irish Times: “Needless to say, it would make the perfect Christmas gift for the wine lover in your life.” Whether that wine lover is you or a friend, you can get hold of a copy here.
Wines of the Languedoc
Jancisrobinson.com called it, “the most important book written on the Languedoc so far”. While it is easily the most informative book on this newly great region Wines of the Languedoc is also immensely readable. Rosemary George MW’s knowledgeable account provides the historical and geographical background you would expect from a Classic Wine Library title but the book’s main focus is on the most interesting producers currently working in this southern French region, with George bringing a personal touch to the profiles which lets readers live through the triumphs and tragedies of winemaking in this exciting and challenging land.
• Using the code Crackle18 at checkout entitles you to 25% off all titles within the Classic Wine Library during December. Second class postage is free within the UK, postage rates to the rest of the world vary; see delivery rates here
• If you are ordering for a UK address we recommend placing orders before 14 December 2018 to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas.
• If you are ordering for deliveries outside of the UK and need books in time for Christmas please contact us at the email address below before placing your order.
• The Classic Wine Library closes at 5pm on Friday 21 December and reopens at 9am on Wednesday 2 January. The online store remains open; orders placed between these dates will be processed on 2 January.
• Please email marketing@infideas.com if you have any queries about your order or our delivery terms.