The Wine Avenger [Paperback]

Irreverent, informative, and controversial,The Wine Avengeris indispensable guide to wine for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

A longtime champion of the victimized wine consumer, Willie Gluckstern debunks the myths and misinformation surrounding the (allegedly) complex subject of wine. His straightforward advice includes:

*The wines that go BEST with food—and why.
*A cure for label worship: There are just as many lousy $60 bottles as $3.99 bottles.
*How to avoid getting ripped off in stores and restaurants.
*How to choose a great wine shop: Do they know where Italy is?
*Dreary housekeeping tips, such as storage, decanting, saving opened wine, and that sulfite thing.

Plus, the straight poop on oak, the MSG of wine, a few well-chosen words for greedy restaurants and retailers ( Those bastards! ), and anunprecedentedexpose of mass-market Champagne, including how to find the good stuff by cracking the secret label code.Willie Gluckstern, an outspoken critic of wine snobbery, label worship, and over-oaked Chardonnay, is the founder of Wines for Food, a consumer wine school in New York City. He has written the wine lists for hundreds of Manhattan restaurants, and has served the purchasing director for the popular wineshop Nancy's Wines in New York City. He lives in New York City with his moldering 8-track tape collection.Preface

Introduction

TASTE:It's Not What You Think

WINE AND FOOD:The Basics

WHERE DO GREAT WINES COME FROM?

QUALITY:What to Look For

OAK:The MSG of Wine

THE GRAPES

WHITES

Chardonnay

Sauvignon Blanc

Chenin Blanc

Riesling

Und...Other Germanic Grapes

REDS

Merlot

Cabernet Sauvignon

Sangiovese

Nebbiolo

Syrah

Zinfandel

Pinot Noir

Barbera

Gamay

Cabernet Franc

HOUSEKEEPING