The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine New and Improved

Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, authors of The Wall Street Journal's popular "Tastings" column, have now completely updated and expanded their uniquely user-friendly guide to finding and savoring the world's best wine. As in the first edition, Dottie and John-as they are known to their fans-offer practical, knowledgeable tips to guide you through the bewildering rows of bottles found in wine stores and groceries. They help expand your wine interests to include more than the familiar Chardonnay or Merlot you've been drinking for years by starting with a simple exercise: buy two similar wines, put them in paper bags, and taste them. When you have decided which wine you prefer, you've taken the first step.

The thorough revision of the original book not only includes updated assessments of wines from the previous edition but also adds ratings for dozens of new selections, covering rosé Champagnes, for example, and extending the Sauvignon Blanc section to cover wines from New Zealand.

Drawing on questions from readers and fans, they have expanded the practical advice that helps make them so widely read: new chapters include tips on how to impress the boss, what to do about wine headaches, and how to accept the Blue Nun in your past; and new passages address everything from cork etiquette to great kosher wines.

As always, the book features recommendations for excellent wines in all price ranges, from familiar Cabernets and Zinfandels to less well-known but easily accessible Gewürztraminers and Barolos. The authors give helpful tips on finding and choosing a wine store, hosting your own wine-tasting party, and learning to navigate a restaurant's wine list.

Dottie and John's passion for wine will inspire you to sample types and labels you might never have thought (or had the nerve) to try. Their anecdotes and down-to-earth style will keep you turning the pages. Whether you are a curious novice or a connoisseur, this enhanced edition is an ideal choice for expanding your wine knowledge and taste.

DOROTHY J. GAITER has been a reporter, editor, and columnist at The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Miami Herald. JOHN BRECHER was page one editor of The Wall Street Journal from 1992 to 2000. They currently write the weekly "Tastings" column for The Wall Street Journal. They live in New York City with their two daughters, Media and Zoe.