My References for Wine Facts

Blogs are designed to be informal, written in a non-academic style and typically do not include extensive references to the many sources of information relied upon to present information to the reader in an “easy to digest” format. That being said, I was not born with an encyclopedic knowledge of wine or wine expertise. I have read a lot, visited many wineries, and had conversations with winemakers over the course of 30+ years of tasting wine. I have also completed wine education courses designed for industry professionals. The most important conclusions I have reached in my exploration of the world of wine are as follows:

No one knows all there is to know about wine and winemaking. There are many wine experts who know much more than I do about wine, and I have tried to learn as much as I can from reading their books, but wine is a complex and ever evolving topic that defies complete knowledge and understanding.

The more I learn about wine, the more I realize what I do not know, and may never fully understand.

Even among the true wine experts, there is often disagreement about wine. If you typically drink wine that cost about $20 a bottle, many wines that cost $30 a bottle will definitely taste better (but not all of them). But, you will probably discover that a $60 bottle of wine does not taste twice as good as a $30 bottle.

True wine experts will be able to taste subtle differences in quality that you cannot distinguish. Be glad that you can enjoy wines you can afford to buy. The more wines you taste, made in different styles and at different price points, the more you will be able to distinguish wines from one another.

I could probably identify more “basic truths” about wine, but you get the point. As you try more wines, in different styles, from different regions, and at different price points, your palate will improve. Your goal should be to enjoy wine, not to become an expert (unless you really want to become a wine expert).

You should never be embarrassed because you cannot taste wine like an expert. Now, let’s get back to the informal blog versus a heavily referenced professional analysis of wine. Assume that I was not born with a knowledge of any of the wine facts that are contained in any of the blog entries. Those facts came from somewhere else, whether it was a class I took, a book I read, or a consultation I had with the wine expert.

If I express an opinion, that is my opinion. Whether my opinion agrees or disagrees with the experts, you are free to agree or disagree with me. If I state statistics about wine, I found that information from some other source. At the end of this blog post I will list a variety of sources that I have consulted and many of these difference sources found the facts and figures elsewhere as well. I probably forgot some of my sources, or no longer have the books or magazine articles that I have read over the years. I apologize for those omissions. You should understand that many, if not most, web sources do not list their sources, and some of the original sources may have been published in a language other than English.

So, the information provided in my blog posts is the sum of all that I have read and learned about wine, with no claim to being the first person to say it, unless it is an opinion or conclusion that I have made based on my experience in learning about wine.

Here are some of the resources that have contributed to my wine knowledge:

I have read many articles in Wine Spectator, Wine and Spirits, and the Wine Enthusiast. I recommend reading or subscribing to one or all of these resources if you want to expand your wine knowledge. These magazines also publish information online as well as in print.

Wine Folly-The Master Guide by Madeleine Puckette and Justin Hammack, Avery – An Imprint of Penguin Random House, New York, 2018.

Wine simple – A Totally Approachable Guide from a World-Class Sommelier by Aldo Sohm with Christine Muhlke, Clarkson Potter Publishers. New York, 2019.

The World Atlas of Wine, 8th Edition (completely revised) by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson, First Published by Mitchell Beazley (Octopus Publishing Group) in Great Britain. Distributed in the US by Hachette Book Group, New York, 2019.

Great Wine Made Simple – Straight Talk from a Master Sommelier (Revised and Updated) by Andrea Immes Robinson, Broadway Books, New York, 2005..

The Concise World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson, Published in Great Britain by Michael Beazley, Octopus Bublishing Group, London, UK. Distributed in the US and Canada by Octopus Books USA, 2009.

Drinking & Knowing Things by Michael Amon, 2021, Ace Pub.

Atlas of Wine by Alice King, Gallery Books – An Imprint of WH Smith Publishers, New York, 1990.

French Wine – Eyewitness Companion by Robert Joseph, DK Publishing, 2005.