Daniel Johnnes's Top 200 Wines: An Expert's Guide to Maximum Enjoyment for Your Dollar

Wine expert Daniel Johnnes reveals the secrets of getting a really good deal on a great bottle of wine. Without using stuffy, technical language, he presents wonderfully complete discussions of 200 wines, a guide to "hot spots" for finding good value wines, explanations of grape varieties and the wine making process, and more.

Plenty of superb wines cost a great deal, but Johnnes aims to point readers toward outstandingly good tasting wines that can be purchased at more reasonable prices. Responsible for developing wine lists at top Manhattan restaurants, Johnnes has the intimate knowledge necessary to offer advice on the best values among all types of wines. He follows a brief introduction to grapes and wine making methods with a highly detailed account of wine characteristics according to region, summarizing each section with a few "hotshots" --special wines for consideration. This in-depth guide features lively, fluid writing and an informal style that educates more fully than a basic wine primer. The book's second half contains a comprehensive list of 200 wine selections to search out when bypassing the old standbys for recommendations by a seasoned sommelier. Alice Joyce

Sommelier to three New York restaurants, Johnnes offers contemporary advice on wines to try and buy. Following concise explanations of grape varieties and the making, tasting, and serving of wine, he addresses some common misconceptions about wine and food. His selections for the top 200 wines are grouped by the handy designations of body and color and explained through information about the winery, winemaker, area, and/or wine itself. The price and a food match are also included. Johnnes's advice is basically sound, and reasonably priced wines are well represented. Unfortunately, some wines may not be easily found. Johnnes also offers specific recommendations for setting up an instant cellar for $500, $1000, or $5000?a formula of limited interest to real oenophiles, who make cellar decisions to suit their personal taste. Further, specific recommendations will be somewhat dated in a year or two. There isn't much that is new here. Recommended only for libraries maintaining exhaustive collections on this topic.?Carolyn I.
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