You generally know what you are getting with the "Dummies" series. No fancy illustrations or photographs (though 7 icons with various meanings: Real Deal, Remember, Worth the Search, Snob Alert, etc. I have always found these books well written by experts and unpretentious. While I may not like the look of the generic yellow covers, I appreciate the fact that the bland appearance and lack of high production values of these books keeps the price down. When I've looked to boost my knowledge on a computer program (Microsoft Access, Quickbooks) I was never averse to buying a Dummies book, whatever that implied about my subject matter knowledge, or lack thereof. But wine? Was I prepared to declare myself an ignoramus, on this particular subject no less, one that prides itself on a certain snobbish appeal. While yes! And I am glad I did. Certified Wine Educator Ed McCarthy and Master of Wine Mary Ewing-Milligan walk you through the comprehensive world of wine, introducing you to the basics but then quickly diving in deep on particular important wine producing countries and regions. When you've completed this book, which is a surprisingly quick read, not only will you have a lot of great tips on particular wines to try, you'll also be equipped with new knowledge of where to buy wine at a good price, how to cellar and age it properly, how best to handle ordering it in a store or restaurant, and a lot more. And best of all, these two authors, while clearly fonts of knowledge and lovers of wine, also realize at the end of the day this is just fermented grape juice. They want to educate, but at the end of the day they want you to relax and enjoy and not take it all too seriously. Exactly the same philosophy of the Dummies series. ( )

Pretty good intro for those overwhelmed by the choices involved in picking a wine. Not too dumbed down. ( )

ine for Dummies is a great book for both the experienced and novice wine drinker. The Introduction goes through how the book is organized and which parts of the book should be read, depending on what the reader is interested in. Pretty much every aspect of wine is covered -grape varieties, how wine is made and regulated in various countries, how to read a wine label or restaurant wine list, and much more. The really technical information is labeled as such and can easily be skipped.

I liked that the tone of the book was very conversational and not at all pretentious. The authors actually have a sense of humor about wine and seemed to make an effort to make wine less intimidating for the reader. This will be a book that I refer to often and has me more interested in wine than ever. Before this book, I had a few brands that I stuck to but now I’m looking forward to trying new and different wines. I didn’t realize how many choices there are out there. That’s one hazard of reading this book – I was craving wine the whole time I was reading!

Authors seem expert... We shouldn't be afraid to slum-read! I'm stuck in the first third, need to make it over the hump...

excellent introduction to wine: This is an excellent, well-written introduction to the world of wine.