|
wine books
to your right the books you have to have and as Clive Coates recommends we also advise the purchase of a corkscrew, because the best way to learn about wine is, of course, to drink it!
to see what we have been reading in the last two months click here
 If you love
French Champagne and live in Australia
and think you might have a bit of talent when it comes to identifying it blind you might be interested in entering the annual
Australian Vin de Champagne Awards
download the details and entry forms
STUDENT
AMATEURPROFESSIONAL……and bon chance! visit their web site
www.champagne-cic.com.au |
The Widow Clicquot
The story of a Champagne empire and the woman who ruled it
Tilar J Mazzeo
Published by Collins, An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, P/B $33 AUD The women of Champagne hold an especial interest for anyone with the love of fine French champagnes. Part of this may be because they held positions of industrial power at a time when women rarely even had their own money, but it is mainly because they were such dramatic intelligent, insightful and flamboyant characters. They were the risk takers of their times whether it was Napoleonic times or during the First and second World wars. This book however is about a single woman Barbe–Nicole Clicquot, the founder of the prestigious French Champagne house Clicquot. It was impossible not to find the first half of this book extremely irritating with the excessive use of the words, ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘perhaps’. The appearance of ‘perhaps’ in a sentence started to fill me with dread as it was always followed by some totally inane and inappropriate suggestion as to what the Clicquot woman might have thought. In fact, the word ‘perhaps’ appeared so often they were marked until that amusement became as tiresome as the appearance of the word. Happily they almost disappear in the second half of the book.
True lovers of Champagne will baulk at the idea of real champagne being frivolously called bubbles and will miss the lack of wine speak, even wine knowledge in the text of this book, but regardless it remains a commanding read because the subject matter is so utterly fascinating. International trade during the Napoleonic wars, the effect of drought and heat on the vine (sound familiar?), the development of the champagne bottle shape, the opening of the Russian market, but most of all the magnitude of the risks. This woman who amassed amazing wealth and property by taking the most enormous risks is made appear oddly reserved, almost ordinary and yet remains extraordinary when it comes to her relationship with champagne.
The reference section is an impressive list of reading that in many cases read a good deal better better than than The Widow Clicquot itself. regardless of the criticisms still well worth a read.
|
 |
Bubbles, Bottles and Colonial Bastards
A short history of sparkling wine in Australia 1840–1990
James Smith
Published by James S. Smith & Associates, P/B $39.95
This book may be a little difficult to find contact Imprints Booksellers
Don’t be put off by the title or the the cover, which we suspect is a mockery against Australian ’bubble’ drinkers because they so often prefer red. Smith is an internationally acclaimed Champagne aficionado (French of course), but he also knows a hell of a lot about everything connected with wine.
The production and design of this book is rather reminiscent of a school journal, and whilst in some ways it is disconcerting because the subject matter is excellent and would work so beautifully into better book design. Well written, properly researched it is an interesting read packed with the obsessed individuals that always drive excellence. Wine people will enjoy the book because many of them will have been a part of the evolution. Baby boomers, like myself, will probably have to admit their first ever sparkling wine was Barossa Pearl and will also enjoy the journey of the read.
We also note with some anticipation that this book finishes at 1990, and hope that Smith will ultimately take on the enlightened years of sparkling wine production in Australia from then until now. Professional or every day wine lover with an interest in the history of Australian wine this is a good read and we look forward to a sequel! In fact, we just look forward to more books about Champagne by Smith.
|
Planning wine touring in Australia?
These are the definitive books James Halliday’s Wine Atlas of Australia and Halliday’s annual Australian Wine Companion. The purchase won’t break the bank and have everything you need to really enjoy the wine regions of Australia.
|
|
|
|
|
|
much more fun
if you go out with us! |
The galaxy guides web site it built and maintained by www.annoliver.com photography unless otherwise stated Ann Oliver copyright © text, recipes and images unless otherwise stated Ann Oliver |
|
|
wine library
Our wine editors Dr Alexandra Burridge and Duane Coates have compiled a list wine books that they regard as essential when it come to learning about wine. Both recommend starting with Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine for an international view of the wine world or if you plan to have a more Australian focus James Halliday’s Wine Atlas of Australia.
Essentials
The Oxford Companion to Wine — Jancis Robinson
The World Atlas of Wine — Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson
The Wines of Burgundy — Clive Coates
Wine Atlas of Australia — James Halliday
Australian Wine Companion — James Halliday
The story of Champagne — Nicholas Faith
The Story of Wine — Hugh Johnson
also highly recommended by
Dr Burridge
The Mitchell Beazley Wine Guides — written for individual regions, our favourites are Wines of Burgundy by Serena Sutcliffe, Wines of Bordeaux by David Peppercorn AB
The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia — Tom Stevenson
A Wine Odyssey — James Halliday
|
