Nonfiction November | Become the Expert
This week’s Nonfiction November prompt is all about expertise. Julie at Julz Reads posed the following…share three or more books on a single topic that you have read and can recommend (be the expert), put the call out for good nonfiction on a specific topic that you have been dying to read (ask the expert), or you can create your own list of books on a topic that you’d like to read (become the expert).
I’ve chosen to share a list of books that I’d like to read so I can become more of an expert in one of my favorite things- wine! I love wine tasting, but whenever anybody asks what kind of wine I like to drink, my typical response is all of it? with a shrug. After all, I am still working my way through the leftover Aldi wine we served at our wedding (hey- they’ve got good stuff…) but I would like to get to the point where I am able to have a more specific conversation about the type of wine I enjoy.
In addition to book recs, I also have an app recommendation- Vivino. Have you ever been at dinner, ordered a bottle of wine, and wish you could keep track of what you ordered for later? Vivino is for you. I haven’t used it a ton yet, but basically you take a photo of the label and the details, including price and taste characteristics, comes up.
Here are the books I’ve chosen to help me become the expert!
Wine Isn’t Rocket Science | Ophelie Neiman
From the cover: Rocket science is complicated, wine doesn't have to be! With information presented in an easy, illustrated style, and chock-full of the fool-proof and reliable knowledge of a seasoned oenophile, Wine Isn't Rocket Science is the guide you always wished existed.
I own this one, thanks to a thoughtful Christmas gift from my husband from last year. This would make for a great coffee table book. It’s got beautiful illustrations and information about how to best buy wine for a party, how to taste wine, how wine is harvested, the basics of food and wine pairing, and buying wine. Sign. me. up!
Wine. All the Time. | Melissa A. Ross
From the cover: Does the thought of having to buy wine for a dinner party stress you out? Is your go-to strategy to pick the bottle with the coolest label? Are you tired of choosing pairings based on your wallet, instead of your palate? Fear not! Bon Appétit wine columnist and Wine. All The Time. blogger Marissa A. Ross is here to help.
Here’s the thing about learning about wine. I don’t find it to be all that interesting, and if I have to listen to you about legs and tannins and whatnot, you better be serving me something to taste. I liked this option because it seems completely relatable. Its goal is to help you describe what you’re drinking and to get better at knowing what you like.
Wine Folley: Magnum Edition | Madeline Puckette
From the cover: Wine Folly: Magnum Edition is the must-have book for the millions of fans of WineFolly.com and for any budding oenophile who wants to boost his or her wine knowledge in a practical and fun way. It's the ultimate gift for any wine lover.
This is probably the most detailed book on my list. This is an expanded version of Wine Folley: The Essential Guide to Wine. I hadn’t heard of it, but it’s got a ton of great reviews on Amazon. This gets into detail about grapes, regions, and tips to become a worldly wine expert. This would be a great gift for someone who already knows their wine and wants to take it to the next level.
From the cover: Professional journalist and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker didn’t know much about wine—until she discovered an alternate universe where taste reigns supreme, a world of elite sommeliers who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of flavor. Astounded by their fervor and seemingly superhuman sensory powers, she set out to uncover what drove their obsession, and whether she, too, could become a “cork dork.”
Cork Dork reads the most like fiction. Some have compared this to Kitchen Confidential of the wine world. It’s a little bit gossipy, a little memoir, and totally informative. I’ve known about this for awhile, but this prompt finally prompted me to put it on hold.
Do you have any recs for me?
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