Overstreet's New Wine Guide: Celebrating the New Wave in Winemaking

There has never been a more exciting time to explore the pleasures of fine wine. Thanks to a new generation of talented winemakers who are marrying the best of traditional viticulture with innovative technologies, today premium wine is being produced in more places, giving the consumer an unprecedented array of choices in every price range.

Dennis Overstreet, whose store, The Wine Merchant, Beverly Hills, has been a Los Angeles fixture for more than twenty years, feels wine has for too long been veiled in a shroud of elitism and arcane language. As one of the foremost wine retailers in the country, he is on a mission to show would-be connoisseurs at every level of sophistication how to increase their enjoyment of wine and challenge their palates with new experiences.

Unlike other wine guides, Overstreet's does not offer ratings; instead he provides road signs that help guide readers through a thrilling journey of discovery of their own. He introduces some of the most important people and places in the wine world today, and offers pointers on searching out intriguing, little-known wines. He then goes on to break down what exactly we mean when we say a wine is good--or even great--so readers can expand their wine vocabulary and communicate their preferences more effectively. And because he believes there is no substitute for popping corks--that is, tasting, tasting, and more tasting--he provides guidelines for starting a wine collection and organizing a wine tasting at home or in a restaurant.

Overstreet also addresses the often-tricky business of matching wines with food, drawing on the expertise of some of the country's foremost sommeliers and chefs, and shares his recommendations for getting the most from a wine retailer or restaurant wine list. And in an extensive directory of wines and winemakers by country, Dennis Overstreet offers his highly subjective nominations for the world's best wines.

Filled with insights gleaned from a life dedicated to the appreciation of this intriguing and rewarding beverage, Overstreet's New Wine Guide will help novices and experts alike derive more pleasure from their wine and encourage them to expand their horizons with every bottle.

Dennis Overstreet, California's premier wine merchant, presents his shortcuts to making every glass a moment worth savoring, spotlighting the most exciting new names and places in wine today. He shows how to: spot wines that are beyond their prime, stock a wine cellar, host a wine tasting, build a relationship with a wine retailer, seek out little-known vintages and makers, get the best service from a sommelier, pair wine with a variety of foods, and much more.

Overstreet also includes his exclusive hit list, The Wine Merchant's Selections, of best bottles from around the world.

Dennis Overstreet is the owner/proprietor of The Wine Merchant, Beverly Hills, a landmark in innovative wine retailing, and Overstreet's, a wine bar. He is the author of one previous book on wines, Wine Secrets, and lectures frequently on the subject. He lives in southern California.

David Gibbons, a former publishing executive and literary agent, has worked as a freelance writer and editor for the past seven years. He lives in New York City.

Catherine Leuthold, a New York-based photographer, has shot for many publications and organizations, including the Associated Press and
the Daily News. She is currently with IPOL.