X RATED WINES

Are you tired of wine reviews with flowery descriptions that read like grocery lists? Yeah, well, so are the authors of X Rated Wines, the ultimate source for everyone who likes wine but can't get into pedantic wine critics and stuffy wine books and magazines -- in other words, for real people. Features include:

More than 1,500 wines reviewed, each having received one of the magazine's trademark rankings, from X (Gets It Done) to XXX (Gotta Have It).
Reviews divided into "Over $15" and "Under $15" categories so         it's easy to buy wine within your budget.
Background information so you can learn a thing or two about what you're drinking.
Amusing sidebars like the "Top Ten Fast Food and Wine Suggestions" and "Music and Wine Pairings."

The reviews in X Rated Wines are both irreverent and insightful. Consider this critique of a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon: "A deep French kiss in a phone booth -- nice depth, great mouth feel, a little woody, a bit tight." Or this Australian shiraz: "Like a Grant Hill slam dunk -- bold, spicy and in your face!" Whether you're pondering what to purchase at your local spirits shop or which bottle to order with dinner, X Rated Wines will open your mind to a new way of thinking about wine.

DARRYL ROBERTS is the editor and publisher of Wine-X magazine, today's fastest-growing wine magazine. Its reviews have been quoted everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to Glamour. He lives in Santa Rosa, California.

STEWART DORMAN is co-owner/winemaker for Adrian Fog Winery.  He lives in Healdsburg, California.