Definitive - If you choose one book - this is it!, 16 Mar 2005
C J J Berry was a master on winemaking. I have bought and read most books on winemaking. This is the one I always turn back to. If you have to buy one book on homewinemaking this is the one! He begins my explaining the concepts and techniques of winemaking in easy to understand terms. He also explains the science behind the process but he is never confusing or condescending. I have never come across a problems which has not been solved by his troubleshooting section and his procedures are comprehensive but easy to follow. The remainder of the book takes you through a wine making year with suggestions, recipies and leaves you confident enough to experiment successfully. All recipes are in metric, imperial and US measures. He leaves you feeling that country wines from fruit are nothing to be ashamed of and that you should not worry about trying to emulate wines you can buy. Having said that, many of the wines stand comparison to anything you can buy. First published in 1960 it has not dated and will remain a reference for all authors to aspire to. It is an invaluable reference for both beginners and those more advanced wine makers.

May be the only book of its kind you will ever need?, 15 Dec 2004
I got into wine making about ten years ago, having used a few home brew wine kits. I then wanted to try making my own from scratch. Sure enough this book was recommended to me as a starting point. Well, I have now made over 100 gallons of wine in those years since biying the book, and not one bottle has been spoilt, all of them drinkable, and some of them that good that my friends were amazed that I made them, and hadn't bought it from a supermarket! It has plenty of tips, recipe ideas, etc in very easy to understand guidance. Starting off with the basics this gives you enough to progress on to bigger and better ideas. I can now adapt and make my own recipes for home made wines with ease. Although a little old fashion in his ways, he makes home brewing a pleasure and not a chore.

Invaluable!, 24 Feb 2002
I've yet to find a book that can come close to First Steps in Winemaking, which is excellent for both beginner and established brewer alike.

Some might argue the style is a little dated, but I rather like the 1960's oulook on life. A sound investment for anyone thinking of taking up this rewarding hobby.

This classic guided three generations from crop to wine., 18 Jun 1998
C.J.J. Berry is a legend to winemaking hobbiests worldwide as the man who had a winemaking recipe for just about any ingredient. For literally tens of thousands of home winemakers, this is the only reference book they ever had or needed.

When it first appeared, the layout of "First Steps in Winemaking" was quite unique. After an admirable discussion of the basic principles of home winemaking, Berry then presented his recipes on the basis of the month in which the principal ingredients are readily available at market or are typically harvested in the British home garden. There are three things wrong with this format.

Firstly, citing harvest months for various ingredients geographically limits the accuracy of the format. Harvest times for any crop will vary greatly around the world, but they can differ from Britain's calendar by six months for gardeners in, say, Australia. Berry's treatment works fine in the British Isles and many other places, but certainly this is not universally so. In his later books, Berry abandoned the calendar-month format of "First Steps...."

Secondly, at least in developed countries, there is no longer a need to be tied to calendar-month availability of ingredients. Advances in cargo transport and refrigeration over the past 50 years have made dependency on local crops a thing of the past. Almost any ingredient can be found in the modern supermarket or produce center at any time.

Thirdly, Berry's presentation of recipes by month results in dependence on the index in order to find recipes for a particular ingredient. This is perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the book's layout. An alphabetical listing of recipes, as he used in subsequent books, would have been more convenient.

In defense of the author, however, I must point out that Berry never anticipated his book would have worldwide appeal. Nor, it would seem, that it would remain popular for so long. Certainly he would not have quoted prices for ingredients and supplies had he suspected as much.

Are these shortcomings fatal? Not in the least! This is still the classic reference to the subject and ought to be in every winemaker's library. Indeed, if you could only buy one book on the subject, only Terry Garey's "The Joy of Home Winemaking" could challenge "First Steps...." to a coin toss.

Buy it. Read it. Make wine. You'll love yourself for it.

Definitive - If you choose one book - this is it!, 16 Mar 2005
C J J Berry was a master on winemaking. I have bought and read most books on winemaking. This is the one I always turn back to. If you have to buy one book on homewinemaking this is the one! He begins my explaining the concepts and techniques of winemaking in easy to understand terms. He also explains the science behind the process but he is never confusing or condescending. I have never come across a problems which has not been solved by his troubleshooting section and his procedures are comprehensive but easy to follow. The remainder of the book takes you through a wine making year with suggestions, recipies and leaves you confident enough to experiment successfully. All recipes are in metric, imperial and US measures. He leaves you feeling that country wines from fruit are nothing to be ashamed of and that you should not worry about trying to emulate wines you can buy. Having said that, many of the wines stand comparison to anything you can buy. First published in 1960 it has not dated and will remain a reference for all authors to aspire to. It is an invaluable reference for both beginners and those more advanced wine makers.

May be the only book of its kind you will ever need?, 15 Dec 2004
I got into wine making about ten years ago, having used a few home brew wine kits. I then wanted to try making my own from scratch. Sure enough this book was recommended to me as a starting point. Well, I have now made over 100 gallons of wine in those years since biying the book, and not one bottle has been spoilt, all of them drinkable, and some of them that good that my friends were amazed that I made them, and hadn't bought it from a supermarket! It has plenty of tips, recipe ideas, etc in very easy to understand guidance. Starting off with the basics this gives you enough to progress on to bigger and better ideas. I can now adapt and make my own recipes for home made wines with ease. Although a little old fashion in his ways, he makes home brewing a pleasure and not a chore.

Invaluable!, 24 Feb 2002
I've yet to find a book that can come close to First Steps in Winemaking, which is excellent for both beginner and established brewer alike.

Some might argue the style is a little dated, but I rather like the 1960's oulook on life. A sound investment for anyone thinking of taking up this rewarding hobby.

This classic guided three generations from crop to wine., 18 Jun 1998
C.J.J. Berry is a legend to winemaking hobbiests worldwide as the man who had a winemaking recipe for just about any ingredient. For literally tens of thousands of home winemakers, this is the only reference book they ever had or needed.

When it first appeared, the layout of "First Steps in Winemaking" was quite unique. After an admirable discussion of the basic principles of home winemaking, Berry then presented his recipes on the basis of the month in which the principal ingredients are readily available at market or are typically harvested in the British home garden. There are three things wrong with this format.

Firstly, citing harvest months for various ingredients geographically limits the accuracy of the format. Harvest times for any crop will vary greatly around the world, but they can differ from Britain's calendar by six months for gardeners in, say, Australia. Berry's treatment works fine in the British Isles and many other places, but certainly this is not universally so. In his later books, Berry abandoned the calendar-month format of "First Steps...."

Secondly, at least in developed countries, there is no longer a need to be tied to calendar-month availability of ingredients. Advances in cargo transport and refrigeration over the past 50 years have made dependency on local crops a thing of the past. Almost any ingredient can be found in the modern supermarket or produce center at any time.

Thirdly, Berry's presentation of recipes by month results in dependence on the index in order to find recipes for a particular ingredient. This is perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the book's layout. An alphabetical listing of recipes, as he used in subsequent books, would have been more convenient.

In defense of the author, however, I must point out that Berry never anticipated his book would have worldwide appeal. Nor, it would seem, that it would remain popular for so long. Certainly he would not have quoted prices for ingredients and supplies had he suspected as much.

Are these shortcomings fatal? Not in the least! This is still the classic reference to the subject and ought to be in every winemaker's library. Indeed, if you could only buy one book on the subject, only Terry Garey's "The Joy of Home Winemaking" could challenge "First Steps...." to a coin toss.

Buy it. Read it. Make wine. You'll love yourself for it.

Excellent book for the right audience, 05 Jan 2008
The ever increasing size of this book reflects the increasing interest in wine, so it now lands with an impressive thump on your desktop. Though its content doesn't always reflect who that new market is.

The authors start with a, rather meandering, description of the history and production of wine and some basic notes on tasting, appreciation and handling of wine. Some of this is very useful, most of it is very basic for someone who already knows the subject and all of it could do with some editing to make the best of their material. Some of it punctures some of the myths about wine such as how long wines should be laid down and do you really need to let wine breath. Elsewhere they perpetuate some of those myths, for example they still seem to give the whole concept of 'terroir' an almost mystical reverence.

That introduction, however, is not really the point of this volume. This appears to be aimed at the new wine connoisseur or someone who wants to be a connoisseur. The real body of this is a fairly comprehensive atlas of vineyards and producers. The detail with which they cover their subject is variable but excusably so as it reflects the varying national interest in wine. So France is covered in incredible detail while England, however much it's wine industry may be growing, is given one brief page. Annoying when you had hoped for something comprehensive but understandable. As long as you stick to well established wine producing regions and buy from those regions this will have something to tell you.

Which, excellent as it is, is also a problem this book has. Ninety per cent of the wine buying public, whether they are buying something cheap and nasty from tescos or something better from a merchant will be buying a blend; a chardonnay or shiraz whose provenance can be narrowed down no more closely than southern Australia, South Africa or so on. Good as those wines are this book doesn't help in selecting them.

If you've moved from just buying a muscadet or whatever to buying 'something from the Loire Valley' then this is ideal for you. If you want to do so then this is ideal. If you like wine and maps then this is interesting if not useful. If you, like me, are happy buying muscadet and merlot but have no real desire to take your wine buying much further then this is probably not for you. So, interesting but impractical for most of us but excellent for the right audience.



The World According to Wine, 23 Dec 2007
At 400 pages, British wine experts Huge Johnson and Jancis Robinson have created their most exhaustive atlas yet, and a tremendous resource. The book is gorgeous - with a generous amount of color illustrations, photos, and maps, including 2 page spreads. All told there are 48 extra pages over the previous edition.

The 6th edition contains 200 maps, all revised and updates, including 20 new maps. The introduction contains essays on wine in the ancient world, vine types, grape varieties, weather, terroir, the wine growers calendar, how wine is made, etc. etc. Robinson has said this new edition took two years of concentrated effort. It was worth it!

Then the authors dive deep into wine regions organized by country. Each region or country covered has a colored map, an essay about the characteristics of the reason, vital statistics, and a few wine labels. France has the most with 55 regions featured, indeed, a quarter of the volume (100 pages) is on France. Italy features 18 regions. Spain 9. Portugal 6. Germany 12. United States 17. Australia 12. New Zealand 4. Other countries covered include: England and Wales, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Western Balkans, Bulgaria, Romania, Former Soviet Republics, Greece, Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, South Africa, China, Japan, and the rest of Asia. I find the information scant on Chile and Argentina, which is odd given their increased market exposure and rising excellence of wines.

The authors have expanded New World coverage, in keeping with expanded exposure and quality of the wine produced in these regions, for Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South America, and South Africa. These are additions, with nothing taken away from the previous fabulous coverage of Old & New World wine regions.

Since the first edition in 1971, the World Atlas of Wine has sold more than 4 million copies and I'm happy to add this new 6th edition to my library, especially at such a reasonable price. It's always a pleasure to look up some background information on tonight's glass of wine.

Wine head girl Jancis Robinson publishes a new edition of her acclaimed Oxford Companion to Wine, coming as close as anybody is likely to in achieving the unachievable goal of a detailed, comprehensive, single-volume work of reference covering the whole world of wines. Just how daunting the task of keeping up with the now practically supersonic pace of development in many areas of the wine industry must be is indicated by the need, only five years after the first edition, to issue another with updated versions of about half the 3,000 entries. It is an awesome achievement. Wine is now a modern, global industry: Jancis Robinson and her team of contributors require--and deliver--expertise in a really astonishing range of disciplines.

Practically every field of human knowledge seems to have something to contribute. From geology and soil chemistry, through forestry and the nature of the different woods used for barrels and the harvesting of cork bark, to the cultivation of the vine, its training and pruning, and the techniques of fermentation; the list extends even into areas of cutting-edge science such as DNA fingerprinting (which finally in 1997 unravelled the mystery of the parentage of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape--no, wild horses wouldn't drag it from me, you'll have to buy the book). This is not to mention the thorough coverage of wine regions and grape varieties, the role of wine through history and its presence in art, the glossary entries. One could go on and on. This is a stupendous feat of organisation. More than that, it is throughout well written and lively, and in possession of a healthy quantity of attitude. --Robin Davidson

Definitive - If you choose one book - this is it!, 16 Mar 2005
C J J Berry was a master on winemaking. I have bought and read most books on winemaking. This is the one I always turn back to. If you have to buy one book on homewinemaking this is the one! He begins my explaining the concepts and techniques of winemaking in easy to understand terms. He also explains the science behind the process but he is never confusing or condescending. I have never come across a problems which has not been solved by his troubleshooting section and his procedures are comprehensive but easy to follow. The remainder of the book takes you through a wine making year with suggestions, recipies and leaves you confident enough to experiment successfully. All recipes are in metric, imperial and US measures. He leaves you feeling that country wines from fruit are nothing to be ashamed of and that you should not worry about trying to emulate wines you can buy. Having said that, many of the wines stand comparison to anything you can buy. First published in 1960 it has not dated and will remain a reference for all authors to aspire to. It is an invaluable reference for both beginners and those more advanced wine makers.

May be the only book of its kind you will ever need?, 15 Dec 2004
I got into wine making about ten years ago, having used a few home brew wine kits. I then wanted to try making my own from scratch. Sure enough this book was recommended to me as a starting point. Well, I have now made over 100 gallons of wine in those years since biying the book, and not one bottle has been spoilt, all of them drinkable, and some of them that good that my friends were amazed that I made them, and hadn't bought it from a supermarket! It has plenty of tips, recipe ideas, etc in very easy to understand guidance. Starting off with the basics this gives you enough to progress on to bigger and better ideas. I can now adapt and make my own recipes for home made wines with ease. Although a little old fashion in his ways, he makes home brewing a pleasure and not a chore.

Invaluable!, 24 Feb 2002
I've yet to find a book that can come close to First Steps in Winemaking, which is excellent for both beginner and established brewer alike.

Some might argue the style is a little dated, but I rather like the 1960's oulook on life. A sound investment for anyone thinking of taking up this rewarding hobby.

This classic guided three generations from crop to wine., 18 Jun 1998
C.J.J. Berry is a legend to winemaking hobbiests worldwide as the man who had a winemaking recipe for just about any ingredient. For literally tens of thousands of home winemakers, this is the only reference book they ever had or needed.

When it first appeared, the layout of "First Steps in Winemaking" was quite unique. After an admirable discussion of the basic principles of home winemaking, Berry then presented his recipes on the basis of the month in which the principal ingredients are readily available at market or are typically harvested in the British home garden. There are three things wrong with this format.

Firstly, citing harvest months for various ingredients geographically limits the accuracy of the format. Harvest times for any crop will vary greatly around the world, but they can differ from Britain's calendar by six months for gardeners in, say, Australia. Berry's treatment works fine in the British Isles and many other places, but certainly this is not universally so. In his later books, Berry abandoned the calendar-month format of "First Steps...."

Secondly, at least in developed countries, there is no longer a need to be tied to calendar-month availability of ingredients. Advances in cargo transport and refrigeration over the past 50 years have made dependency on local crops a thing of the past. Almost any ingredient can be found in the modern supermarket or produce center at any time.

Thirdly, Berry's presentation of recipes by month results in dependence on the index in order to find recipes for a particular ingredient. This is perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the book's layout. An alphabetical listing of recipes, as he used in subsequent books, would have been more convenient.

In defense of the author, however, I must point out that Berry never anticipated his book would have worldwide appeal. Nor, it would seem, that it would remain popular for so long. Certainly he would not have quoted prices for ingredients and supplies had he suspected as much.

Are these shortcomings fatal? Not in the least! This is still the classic reference to the subject and ought to be in every winemaker's library. Indeed, if you could only buy one book on the subject, only Terry Garey's "The Joy of Home Winemaking" could challenge "First Steps...." to a coin toss.

Buy it. Read it. Make wine. You'll love yourself for it.

Excellent book for the right audience, 05 Jan 2008
The ever increasing size of this book reflects the increasing interest in wine, so it now lands with an impressive thump on your desktop. Though its content doesn't always reflect who that new market is.

The authors start with a, rather meandering, description of the history and production of wine and some basic notes on tasting, appreciation and handling of wine. Some of this is very useful, most of it is very basic for someone who already knows the subject and all of it could do with some editing to make the best of their material. Some of it punctures some of the myths about wine such as how long wines should be laid down and do you really need to let wine breath. Elsewhere they perpetuate some of those myths, for example they still seem to give the whole concept of 'terroir' an almost mystical reverence.

That introduction, however, is not really the point of this volume. This appears to be aimed at the new wine connoisseur or someone who wants to be a connoisseur. The real body of this is a fairly comprehensive atlas of vineyards and producers. The detail with which they cover their subject is variable but excusably so as it reflects the varying national interest in wine. So France is covered in incredible detail while England, however much it's wine industry may be growing, is given one brief page. Annoying when you had hoped for something comprehensive but understandable. As long as you stick to well established wine producing regions and buy from those regions this will have something to tell you.

Which, excellent as it is, is also a problem this book has. Ninety per cent of the wine buying public, whether they are buying something cheap and nasty from tescos or something better from a merchant will be buying a blend; a chardonnay or shiraz whose provenance can be narrowed down no more closely than southern Australia, South Africa or so on. Good as those wines are this book doesn't help in selecting them.

If you've moved from just buying a muscadet or whatever to buying 'something from the Loire Valley' then this is ideal for you. If you want to do so then this is ideal. If you like wine and maps then this is interesting if not useful. If you, like me, are happy buying muscadet and merlot but have no real desire to take your wine buying much further then this is probably not for you. So, interesting but impractical for most of us but excellent for the right audience.



The World According to Wine, 23 Dec 2007
At 400 pages, British wine experts Huge Johnson and Jancis Robinson have created their most exhaustive atlas yet, and a tremendous resource. The book is gorgeous - with a generous amount of color illustrations, photos, and maps, including 2 page spreads. All told there are 48 extra pages over the previous edition.

The 6th edition contains 200 maps, all revised and updates, including 20 new maps. The introduction contains essays on wine in the ancient world, vine types, grape varieties, weather, terroir, the wine growers calendar, how wine is made, etc. etc. Robinson has said this new edition took two years of concentrated effort. It was worth it!

Then the authors dive deep into wine regions organized by country. Each region or country covered has a colored map, an essay about the characteristics of the reason, vital statistics, and a few wine labels. France has the most with 55 regions featured, indeed, a quarter of the volume (100 pages) is on France. Italy features 18 regions. Spain 9. Portugal 6. Germany 12. United States 17. Australia 12. New Zealand 4. Other countries covered include: England and Wales, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Western Balkans, Bulgaria, Romania, Former Soviet Republics, Greece, Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, South Africa, China, Japan, and the rest of Asia. I find the information scant on Chile and Argentina, which is odd given their increased market exposure and rising excellence of wines.

The authors have expanded New World coverage, in keeping with expanded exposure and quality of the wine produced in these regions, for Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South America, and South Africa. These are additions, with nothing taken away from the previous fabulous coverage of Old & New World wine regions.

Since the first edition in 1971, the World Atlas of Wine has sold more than 4 million copies and I'm happy to add this new 6th edition to my library, especially at such a reasonable price. It's always a pleasure to look up some background information on tonight's glass of wine.

FROM VINE TO WINE ------ A MINE OF INFORMATION, 17 Oct 2002
.

Thirty years ago this book could not have been written. With the increasing ascendancy of the New World wine makers and in particular the influence of the Davis campus of the University of California, viticulture and oenology are now rigorous, scientific and commercially oriented professions. This is reflected in the "Oxford Companion to Wine" which has to be the most comprehensive, authoritative and accessible resource dealing with all aspects of the world of wine.

Jancis Robinson who edited this encyclopedia of wine is a highly respected wine writer and educator. She is also very well credentialled, holding the prestigious title of "Master of Wine".

The real power of this book as an information source is the very effective use of cross-references. Its great fun to see how far one reference will take you on subjects of particular interest to the reader. It would be good to see this book published as a CD-ROM. Hyper-linking all the cross-references would make it even more powerful.

The changes in the wine business over the past generation have seen the previously exclusive, "clubbiness", almost snobby world of fine wine appreciation opened up to everyone. It is books like this that have provided the sources of knowledge which give people the confidence and curiosity to pursue their interest and enjoyment of wine.

France is the traditional home of fine wine. The French approach to wine making is still dominated by practices and methodologies that go back centuries. It is interesting to see in the "Oxford Companion" the strong contrast between the empirically rigorous New World (particularly USA and Australian) methods and the mystery (or mystique) that even today, shrouds much of the French industry.

One of the best illustrations of this dichotomy in the Companion is the entry on "Terroir". This French term encapsulates the mystique that defines a particular vine growing area. It goes well beyond the issue of soil and microclimate but instead embraces everything that makes a particular wine unique.

In the "Companion" the terroir debate seems to come down on the side which believes the term is used to cover vagueness and explain characteristics that are otherwise difficult to explain. This allows sometimes ordinary wine to be passed off as something special.

Compare this to the innovative, scientifically supported approaches used in the New World. A good example is the development of "Canopy Management" the varying techniques used to optimize the yield and ripening characteristics of a grapevine.

Similarly we have see the arrival of "flying winemakers" from Australia into regions like the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France. They have introduced stainless steel fermentation vessels, temperature control and meticulous cleanliness, to what was previously a very rough and ready local business. They are now producing some of the some best Merlots, acknowledged by even the French.

This book will no doubt become the definitive reference book on all matters to do with the world of wine. It will be of the highest value to both the wine professional and the enthusiastic wine lover.

comprehensive wine guide for the novice to expert, 17 Nov 2000
Great 'Bible' for wine lovers. A comprehensive encyclopedia of wine ranging from types of grape and regions of wine production to detailed discriptions of the qualities of different grape varieties. This book is a must for the wine lover or the interested novice. One small criticism would be the over attention to detail in the history of each wine region and not enough comment on the actual flavours and qualities of each grape variety/growing region. Otherwise a top notch publication.

Definitive - If you choose one book - this is it!, 16 Mar 2005
C J J Berry was a master on winemaking. I have bought and read most books on winemaking. This is the one I always turn back to. If you have to buy one book on homewinemaking this is the one! He begins my explaining the concepts and techniques of winemaking in easy to understand terms. He also explains the science behind the process but he is never confusing or condescending. I have never come across a problems which has not been solved by his troubleshooting section and his procedures are comprehensive but easy to follow. The remainder of the book takes you through a wine making year with suggestions, recipies and leaves you confident enough to experiment successfully. All recipes are in metric, imperial and US measures. He leaves you feeling that country wines from fruit are nothing to be ashamed of and that you should not worry about trying to emulate wines you can buy. Having said that, many of the wines stand comparison to anything you can buy. First published in 1960 it has not dated and will remain a reference for all authors to aspire to. It is an invaluable reference for both beginners and those more advanced wine makers.

May be the only book of its kind you will ever need?, 15 Dec 2004
I got into wine making about ten years ago, having used a few home brew wine kits. I then wanted to try making my own from scratch. Sure enough this book was recommended to me as a starting point. Well, I have now made over 100 gallons of wine in those years since biying the book, and not one bottle has been spoilt, all of them drinkable, and some of them that good that my friends were amazed that I made them, and hadn't bought it from a supermarket! It has plenty of tips, recipe ideas, etc in very easy to understand guidance. Starting off with the basics this gives you enough to progress on to bigger and better ideas. I can now adapt and make my own recipes for home made wines with ease. Although a little old fashion in his ways, he makes home brewing a pleasure and not a chore.

Invaluable!, 24 Feb 2002
I've yet to find a book that can come close to First Steps in Winemaking, which is excellent for both beginner and established brewer alike.

Some might argue the style is a little dated, but I rather like the 1960's oulook on life. A sound investment for anyone thinking of taking up this rewarding hobby.

This classic guided three generations from crop to wine., 18 Jun 1998
C.J.J. Berry is a legend to winemaking hobbiests worldwide as the man who had a winemaking recipe for just about any ingredient. For literally tens of thousands of home winemakers, this is the only reference book they ever had or needed.

When it first appeared, the layout of "First Steps in Winemaking" was quite unique. After an admirable discussion of the basic principles of home winemaking, Berry then presented his recipes on the basis of the month in which the principal ingredients are readily available at market or are typically harvested in the British home garden. There are three things wrong with this format.

Firstly, citing harvest months for various ingredients geographically limits the accuracy of the format. Harvest times for any crop will vary greatly around the world, but they can differ from Britain's calendar by six months for gardeners in, say, Australia. Berry's treatment works fine in the British Isles and many other places, but certainly this is not universally so. In his later books, Berry abandoned the calendar-month format of "First Steps...."

Secondly, at least in developed countries, there is no longer a need to be tied to calendar-month availability of ingredients. Advances in cargo transport and refrigeration over the past 50 years have made dependency on local crops a thing of the past. Almost any ingredient can be found in the modern supermarket or produce center at any time.

Thirdly, Berry's presentation of recipes by month results in dependence on the index in order to find recipes for a particular ingredient. This is perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the book's layout. An alphabetical listing of recipes, as he used in subsequent books, would have been more convenient.

In defense of the author, however, I must point out that Berry never anticipated his book would have worldwide appeal. Nor, it would seem, that it would remain popular for so long. Certainly he would not have quoted prices for ingredients and supplies had he suspected as much.

Are these shortcomings fatal? Not in the least! This is still the classic reference to the subject and ought to be in every winemaker's library. Indeed, if you could only buy one book on the subject, only Terry Garey's "The Joy of Home Winemaking" could challenge "First Steps...." to a coin toss.

Buy it. Read it. Make wine. You'll love yourself for it.

Excellent book for the right audience, 05 Jan 2008
The ever increasing size of this book reflects the increasing interest in wine, so it now lands with an impressive thump on your desktop. Though its content doesn't always reflect who that new market is.

The authors start with a, rather meandering, description of the history and production of wine and some basic notes on tasting, appreciation and handling of wine. Some of this is very useful, most of it is very basic for someone who already knows the subject and all of it could do with some editing to make the best of their material. Some of it punctures some of the myths about wine such as how long wines should be laid down and do you really need to let wine breath. Elsewhere they perpetuate some of those myths, for example they still seem to give the whole concept of 'terroir' an almost mystical reverence.

That introduction, however, is not really the point of this volume. This appears to be aimed at the new wine connoisseur or someone who wants to be a connoisseur. The real body of this is a fairly comprehensive atlas of vineyards and producers. The detail with which they cover their subject is variable but excusably so as it reflects the varying national interest in wine. So France is covered in incredible detail while England, however much it's wine industry may be growing, is given one brief page. Annoying when you had hoped for something comprehensive but understandable. As long as you stick to well established wine producing regions and buy from those regions this will have something to tell you.

Which, excellent as it is, is also a problem this book has. Ninety per cent of the wine buying public, whether they are buying something cheap and nasty from tescos or something better from a merchant will be buying a blend; a chardonnay or shiraz whose provenance can be narrowed down no more closely than southern Australia, South Africa or so on. Good as those wines are this book doesn't help in selecting them.

If you've moved from just buying a muscadet or whatever to buying 'something from the Loire Valley' then this is ideal for you. If you want to do so then this is ideal. If you like wine and maps then this is interesting if not useful. If you, like me, are happy buying muscadet and merlot but have no real desire to take your wine buying much further then this is probably not for you. So, interesting but impractical for most of us but excellent for the right audience.



The World According to Wine, 23 Dec 2007
At 400 pages, British wine experts Huge Johnson and Jancis Robinson have created their most exhaustive atlas yet, and a tremendous resource. The book is gorgeous - with a generous amount of color illustrations, photos, and maps, including 2 page spreads. All told there are 48 extra pages over the previous edition.

The 6th edition contains 200 maps, all revised and updates, including 20 new maps. The introduction contains essays on wine in the ancient world, vine types, grape varieties, weather, terroir, the wine growers calendar, how wine is made, etc. etc. Robinson has said this new edition took two years of concentrated effort. It was worth it!

Then the authors dive deep into wine regions organized by country. Each region or country covered has a colored map, an essay about the characteristics of the reason, vital statistics, and a few wine labels. France has the most with 55 regions featured, indeed, a quarter of the volume (100 pages) is on France. Italy features 18 regions. Spain 9. Portugal 6. Germany 12. United States 17. Australia 12. New Zealand 4. Other countries covered include: England and Wales, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Western Balkans, Bulgaria, Romania, Former Soviet Republics, Greece, Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, South Africa, China, Japan, and the rest of Asia. I find the information scant on Chile and Argentina, which is odd given their increased market exposure and rising excellence of wines.

The authors have expanded New World coverage, in keeping with expanded exposure and quality of the wine produced in these regions, for Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South America, and South Africa. These are additions, with nothing taken away from the previous fabulous coverage of Old & New World wine regions.

Since the first edition in 1971, the World Atlas of Wine has sold more than 4 million copies and I'm happy to add this new 6th edition to my library, especially at such a reasonable price. It's always a pleasure to look up some background information on tonight's glass of wine.

FROM VINE TO WINE ------ A MINE OF INFORMATION, 17 Oct 2002
.

Thirty years ago this book could not have been written. With the increasing ascendancy of the New World wine makers and in particular the influence of the Davis campus of the University of California, viticulture and oenology are now rigorous, scientific and commercially oriented professions. This is reflected in the "Oxford Companion to Wine" which has to be the most comprehensive, authoritative and accessible resource dealing with all aspects of the world of wine.

Jancis Robinson who edited this encyclopedia of wine is a highly respected wine writer and educator. She is also very well credentialled, holding the prestigious title of "Master of Wine".

The real power of this book as an information source is the very effective use of cross-references. Its great fun to see how far one reference will take you on subjects of particular interest to the reader. It would be good to see this book published as a CD-ROM. Hyper-linking all the cross-references would make it even more powerful.

The changes in the wine business over the past generation have seen the previously exclusive, "clubbiness", almost snobby world of fine wine appreciation opened up to everyone. It is books like this that have provided the sources of knowledge which give people the confidence and curiosity to pursue their interest and enjoyment of wine.

France is the traditional home of fine wine. The French approach to wine making is still dominated by practices and methodologies that go back centuries. It is interesting to see in the "Oxford Companion" the strong contrast between the empirically rigorous New World (particularly USA and Australian) methods and the mystery (or mystique) that even today, shrouds much of the French industry.

One of the best illustrations of this dichotomy in the Companion is the entry on "Terroir". This French term encapsulates the mystique that defines a particular vine growing area. It goes well beyond the issue of soil and microclimate but instead embraces everything that makes a particular wine unique.

In the "Companion" the terroir debate seems to come down on the side which believes the term is used to cover vagueness and explain characteristics that are otherwise difficult to explain. This allows sometimes ordinary wine to be passed off as something special.

Compare this to the innovative, scientifically supported approaches used in the New World. A good example is the development of "Canopy Management" the varying techniques used to optimize the yield and ripening characteristics of a grapevine.

Similarly we have see the arrival of "flying winemakers" from Australia into regions like the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France. They have introduced stainless steel fermentation vessels, temperature control and meticulous cleanliness, to what was previously a very rough and ready local business. They are now producing some of the some best Merlots, acknowledged by even the French.

This book will no doubt become the definitive reference book on all matters to do with the world of wine. It will be of the highest value to both the wine professional and the enthusiastic wine lover.

comprehensive wine guide for the novice to expert, 17 Nov 2000
Great 'Bible' for wine lovers. A comprehensive encyclopedia of wine ranging from types of grape and regions of wine production to detailed discriptions of the qualities of different grape varieties. This book is a must for the wine lover or the interested novice. One small criticism would be the over attention to detail in the history of each wine region and not enough comment on the actual flavours and qualities of each grape variety/growing region. Otherwise a top notch publication.

Highly recommended...An excellent, professional and well written book..., 16 Feb 2008
Any aspiring young person who wishes to join the catering profession should have a copy of this book. It is thorough, well researched, modern and expresses all the values which surround the British Culinary Arts tradition. This is a valuable edition to any ones cookery book collection. Highly recommended. (Chef Woodward, Culinary Arts Studio, University of Brighton).

Professional, exciting, value for money, 15 Aug 2007
What a book!!!!!!!
I bought the practical cookery and theory of catering at great expense, had I known this book was coming it would have been top of my list.
It is packed full of information, pictures, recipes that work and tests.
I feel confident in using this book to develop my knowledge and skills

A Massive Read!, 06 Jul 2007
I have begun to use this book for my studies to be a professional chef and wish that I had used this book throughout the whole year. It's massive and packed with useful and informative tips and theory information. This is easily the best cookery book that I've seen because it's easy to read, up to date and has bright, colour images showing the reader exactly how to use certain preparation techniques. I especially like the tip and health & safety boxes down the sides of each page.

Great book, 28 Jun 2007
I just thought I would send a brief review in.
This book is a breath of fresh air, concise, professional and it's step by step photos are great.
I am an enthusiastic chef who is self taught.
I have gone from book to book in the quest for knowledge.
Finally an author who has experience, skill and a good training back ground.
I will definately by the level 3 when it becomes avaliable.

Breathtaking, 14 Jun 2007
I have just come to the end of my level 1 NVQ course in cooking and have been struggling to use the old text books.
This new book which I have just recieved will be of great use for my studies next year and I have started to cook the dishes at home.

The poached halibut and cherry tomato confit is really tasty and looks exactly like the pictures in the book.

Definitive - If you choose one book - this is it!, 16 Mar 2005
C J J Berry was a master on winemaking. I have bought and read most books on winemaking. This is the one I always turn back to. If you have to buy one book on homewinemaking this is the one! He begins my explaining the concepts and techniques of winemaking in easy to understand terms. He also explains the science behind the process but he is never confusing or condescending. I have never come across a problems which has not been solved by his troubleshooting section and his procedures are comprehensive but easy to follow. The remainder of the book takes you through a wine making year with suggestions, recipies and leaves you confident enough to experiment successfully. All recipes are in metric, imperial and US measures. He leaves you feeling that country wines from fruit are nothing to be ashamed of and that you should not worry about trying to emulate wines you can buy. Having said that, many of the wines stand comparison to anything you can buy. First published in 1960 it has not dated and will remain a reference for all authors to aspire to. It is an invaluable reference for both beginners and those more advanced wine makers.

May be the only book of its kind you will ever need?, 15 Dec 2004
I got into wine making about ten years ago, having used a few home brew wine kits. I then wanted to try making my own from scratch. Sure enough this book was recommended to me as a starting point. Well, I have now made over 100 gallons of wine in those years since biying the book, and not one bottle has been spoilt, all of them drinkable, and some of them that good that my friends were amazed that I made them, and hadn't bought it from a supermarket! It has plenty of tips, recipe ideas, etc in very easy to understand guidance. Starting off with the basics this gives you enough to progress on to bigger and better ideas. I can now adapt and make my own recipes for home made wines with ease. Although a little old fashion in his ways, he makes home brewing a pleasure and not a chore.

Invaluable!, 24 Feb 2002
I've yet to find a book that can come close to First Steps in Winemaking, which is excellent for both beginner and established brewer alike.

Some might argue the style is a little dated, but I rather like the 1960's oulook on life. A sound investment for anyone thinking of taking up this rewarding hobby.

This classic guided three generations from crop to wine., 18 Jun 1998
C.J.J. Berry is a legend to winemaking hobbiests worldwide as the man who had a winemaking recipe for just about any ingredient. For literally tens of thousands of home winemakers, this is the only reference book they ever had or needed.

When it first appeared, the layout of "First Steps in Winemaking" was quite unique. After an admirable discussion of the basic principles of home winemaking, Berry then presented his recipes on the basis of the month in which the principal ingredients are readily available at market or are typically harvested in the British home garden. There are three things wrong with this format.

Firstly, citing harvest months for various ingredients geographically limits the accuracy of the format. Harvest times for any crop will vary greatly around the world, but they can differ from Britain's calendar by six months for gardeners in, say, Australia. Berry's treatment works fine in the British Isles and many other places, but certainly this is not universally so. In his later books, Berry abandoned the calendar-month format of "First Steps...."

Secondly, at least in developed countries, there is no longer a need to be tied to calendar-month availability of ingredients. Advances in cargo transport and refrigeration over the past 50 years have made dependency on local crops a thing of the past. Almost any ingredient can be found in the modern supermarket or produce center at any time.

Thirdly, Berry's presentation of recipes by month results in dependence on the index in order to find recipes for a particular ingredient. This is perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the book's layout. An alphabetical listing of recipes, as he used in subsequent books, would have been more convenient.

In defense of the author, however, I must point out that Berry never anticipated his book would have worldwide appeal. Nor, it would seem, that it would remain popular for so long. Certainly he would not have quoted prices for ingredients and supplies had he suspected as much.

Are these shortcomings fatal? Not in the least! This is still the classic reference to the subject and ought to be in every winemaker's library. Indeed, if you could only buy one book on the subject, only Terry Garey's "The Joy of Home Winemaking" could challenge "First Steps...." to a coin toss.

Buy it. Read it. Make wine. You'll love yourself for it.

Excellent book for the right audience, 05 Jan 2008
The ever increasing size of this book reflects the increasing interest in wine, so it now lands with an impressive thump on your desktop. Though its content doesn't always reflect who that new market is.

The authors start with a, rather meandering, description of the history and production of wine and some basic notes on tasting, appreciation and handling of wine. Some of this is very useful, most of it is very basic for someone who already knows the subject and all of it could do with some editing to make the best of their material. Some of it punctures some of the myths about wine such as how long wines should be laid down and do you really need to let wine breath. Elsewhere they perpetuate some of those myths, for example they still seem to give the whole concept of 'terroir' an almost mystical reverence.

That introduction, however, is not really the point of this volume. This appears to be aimed at the new wine connoisseur or someone who wants to be a connoisseur. The real body of this is a fairly comprehensive atlas of vineyards and producers. The detail with which they cover their subject is variable but excusably so as it reflects the varying national interest in wine. So France is covered in incredible detail while England, however much it's wine industry may be growing, is given one brief page. Annoying when you had hoped for something comprehensive but understandable. As long as you stick to well established wine producing regions and buy from those regions this will have something to tell you.

Which, excellent as it is, is also a problem this book has. Ninety per cent of the wine buying public, whether they are buying something cheap and nasty from tescos or something better from a merchant will be buying a blend; a chardonnay or shiraz whose provenance can be narrowed down no more closely than southern Australia, South Africa or so on. Good as those wines are this book doesn't help in selecting them.

If you've moved from just buying a muscadet or whatever to buying 'something from the Loire Valley' then this is ideal for you. If you want to do so then this is ideal. If you like wine and maps then this is interesting if not useful. If you, like me, are happy buying muscadet and merlot but have no real desire to take your wine buying much further then this is probably not for you. So, interesting but impractical for most of us but excellent for the right audience.



The World According to Wine, 23 Dec 2007
At 400 pages, British wine experts Huge Johnson and Jancis Robinson have created their most exhaustive atlas yet, and a tremendous resource. The book is gorgeous - with a generous amount of color illustrations, photos, and maps, including 2 page spreads. All told there are 48 extra pages over the previous edition.

The 6th edition contains 200 maps, all revised and updates, including 20 new maps. The introduction contains essays on wine in the ancient world, vine types, grape varieties, weather, terroir, the wine growers calendar, how wine is made, etc. etc. Robinson has said this new edition took two years of concentrated effort. It was worth it!

Then the authors dive deep into wine regions organized by country. Each region or country covered has a colored map, an essay about the characteristics of the reason, vital statistics, and a few wine labels. France has the most with 55 regions featured, indeed, a quarter of the volume (100 pages) is on France. Italy features 18 regions. Spain 9. Portugal 6. Germany 12. United States 17. Australia 12. New Zealand 4. Other countries covered include: England and Wales, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Western Balkans, Bulgaria, Romania, Former Soviet Republics, Greece, Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, South Africa, China, Japan, and the rest of Asia. I find the information scant on Chile and Argentina, which is odd given their increased market exposure and rising excellence of wines.

The authors have expanded New World coverage, in keeping with expanded exposure and quality of the wine produced in these regions, for Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South America, and South Africa. These are additions, with nothing taken away from the previous fabulous coverage of Old & New World wine regions.

Since the first edition in 1971, the World Atlas of Wine has sold more than 4 million copies and I'm happy to add this new 6th edition to my library, especially at such a reasonable price. It's always a pleasure to look up some background information on tonight's glass of wine.

FROM VINE TO WINE ------ A MINE OF INFORMATION, 17 Oct 2002
.

Thirty years ago this book could not have been written. With the increasing ascendancy of the New World wine makers and in particular the influence of the Davis campus of the University of California, viticulture and oenology are now rigorous, scientific and commercially oriented professions. This is reflected in the "Oxford Companion to Wine" which has to be the most comprehensive, authoritative and accessible resource dealing with all aspects of the world of wine.

Jancis Robinson who edited this encyclopedia of wine is a highly respected wine writer and educator. She is also very well credentialled, holding the prestigious title of "Master of Wine".

The real power of this book as an information source is the very effective use of cross-references. Its great fun to see how far one reference will take you on subjects of particular interest to the reader. It would be good to see this book published as a CD-ROM. Hyper-linking all the cross-references would make it even more powerful.

The changes in the wine business over the past generation have seen the previously exclusive, "clubbiness", almost snobby world of fine wine appreciation opened up to everyone. It is books like this that have provided the sources of knowledge which give people the confidence and curiosity to pursue their interest and enjoyment of wine.

France is the traditional home of fine wine. The French approach to wine making is still dominated by practices and methodologies that go back centuries. It is interesting to see in the "Oxford Companion" the strong contrast between the empirically rigorous New World (particularly USA and Australian) methods and the mystery (or mystique) that even today, shrouds much of the French industry.

One of the best illustrations of this dichotomy in the Companion is the entry on "Terroir". This French term encapsulates the mystique that defines a particular vine growing area. It goes well beyond the issue of soil and microclimate but instead embraces everything that makes a particular wine unique.

In the "Companion" the terroir debate seems to come down on the side which believes the term is used to cover vagueness and explain characteristics that are otherwise difficult to explain. This allows sometimes ordinary wine to be passed off as something special.

Compare this to the innovative, scientifically supported approaches used in the New World. A good example is the development of "Canopy Management" the varying techniques used to optimize the yield and ripening characteristics of a grapevine.

Similarly we have see the arrival of "flying winemakers" from Australia into regions like the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France. They have introduced stainless steel fermentation vessels, temperature control and meticulous cleanliness, to what was previously a very rough and ready local business. They are now producing some of the some best Merlots, acknowledged by even the French.

This book will no doubt become the definitive reference book on all matters to do with the world of wine. It will be of the highest value to both the wine professional and the enthusiastic wine lover.

comprehensive wine guide for the novice to expert, 17 Nov 2000
Great 'Bible' for wine lovers. A comprehensive encyclopedia of wine ranging from types of grape and regions of wine production to detailed discriptions of the qualities of different grape varieties. This book is a must for the wine lover or the interested novice. One small criticism would be the over attention to detail in the history of each wine region and not enough comment on the actual flavours and qualities of each grape variety/growing region. Otherwise a top notch publication.

Highly recommended...An excellent, professional and well written book..., 16 Feb 2008
Any aspiring young person who wishes to join the catering profession should have a copy of this book. It is thorough, well researched, modern and expresses all the values which surround the British Culinary Arts tradition. This is a valuable edition to any ones cookery book collection. Highly recommended. (Chef Woodward, Culinary Arts Studio, University of Brighton).

Professional, exciting, value for money, 15 Aug 2007
What a book!!!!!!!
I bought the practical cookery and theory of catering at great expense, had I known this book was coming it would have been top of my list.
It is packed full of information, pictures, recipes that work and tests.
I feel confident in using this book to develop my knowledge and skills

A Massive Read!, 06 Jul 2007
I have begun to use this book for my studies to be a professional chef and wish that I had used this book throughout the whole year. It's massive and packed with useful and informative tips and theory information. This is easily the best cookery book that I've seen because it's easy to read, up to date and has bright, colour images showing the reader exactly how to use certain preparation techniques. I especially like the tip and health & safety boxes down the sides of each page.

Great book, 28 Jun 2007
I just thought I would send a brief review in.
This book is a breath of fresh air, concise, professional and it's step by step photos are great.
I am an enthusiastic chef who is self taught.
I have gone from book to book in the quest for knowledge.
Finally an author who has experience, skill and a good training back ground.
I will definately by the level 3 when it becomes avaliable.

Breathtaking, 14 Jun 2007
I have just come to the end of my level 1 NVQ course in cooking and have been struggling to use the old text books.
This new book which I have just recieved will be of great use for my studies next year and I have started to cook the dishes at home.

The poached halibut and cherry tomato confit is really tasty and looks exactly like the pictures in the book.



Professional Chef - Level 3 - S/NVQ: 3, 15 Feb 2008
I am genuinely excited about this book! When I first received it, I had a thoroughly good look through it and was especially impressed with the chefs profiles and the quality of the photographs which support the text. The many pictures and recipes demonstrate an excellent level of culinary competence. The authors have a real feeling for all things culinary and have created a set of books which should be recommended to all young and aspiring chefs. The book is written with care and diligence with detailed observations and well written explanations of the methods, which is so important when writing a culinary manual. Ken Woodward, Senior Lecturer, Culinary Arts Studio, University of Brighton.

Definitive - If you choose one book - this is it!, 16 Mar 2005
C J J Berry was a master on winemaking. I have bought and read most books on winemaking. This is the one I always turn back to. If you have to buy one book on homewinemaking this is the one! He begins my explaining the concepts and techniques of winemaking in easy to understand terms. He also explains the science behind the process but he is never confusing or condescending. I have never come across a problems which has not been solved by his troubleshooting section and his procedures are comprehensive but easy to follow. The remainder of the book takes you through a wine making year with suggestions, recipies and leaves you confident enough to experiment successfully. All recipes are in metric, imperial and US measures. He leaves you feeling that country wines from fruit are nothing to be ashamed of and that you should not worry about trying to emulate wines you can buy. Having said that, many of the wines stand comparison to anything you can buy. First published in 1960 it has not dated and will remain a reference for all authors to aspire to. It is an invaluable reference for both beginners and those more advanced wine makers.

May be the only book of its kind you will ever need?, 15 Dec 2004
I got into wine making about ten years ago, having used a few home brew wine kits. I then wanted to try making my own from scratch. Sure enough this book was recommended to me as a starting point. Well, I have now made over 100 gallons of wine in those years since biying the book, and not one bottle has been spoilt, all of them drinkable, and some of them that good that my friends were amazed that I made them, and hadn't bought it from a supermarket! It has plenty of tips, recipe ideas, etc in very easy to understand guidance. Starting off with the basics this gives you enough to progress on to bigger and better ideas. I can now adapt and make my own recipes for home made wines with ease. Although a little old fashion in his ways, he makes home brewing a pleasure and not a chore.

Invaluable!, 24 Feb 2002
I've yet to find a book that can come close to First Steps in Winemaking, which is excellent for both beginner and established brewer alike.

Some might argue the style is a little dated, but I rather like the 1960's oulook on life. A sound investment for anyone thinking of taking up this rewarding hobby.

This classic guided three generations from crop to wine., 18 Jun 1998
C.J.J. Berry is a legend to winemaking hobbiests worldwide as the man who had a winemaking recipe for just about any ingredient. For literally tens of thousands of home winemakers, this is the only reference book they ever had or needed.

When it first appeared, the layout of "First Steps in Winemaking" was quite unique. After an admirable discussion of the basic principles of home winemaking, Berry then presented his recipes on the basis of the month in which the principal ingredients are readily available at market or are typically harvested in the British home garden. There are three things wrong with this format.

Firstly, citing harvest months for various ingredients geographically limits the accuracy of the format. Harvest times for any crop will vary greatly around the world, but they can differ from Britain's calendar by six months for gardeners in, say, Australia. Berry's treatment works fine in the British Isles and many other places, but certainly this is not universally so. In his later books, Berry abandoned the calendar-month format of "First Steps...."

Secondly, at least in developed countries, there is no longer a need to be tied to calendar-month availability of ingredients. Advances in cargo transport and refrigeration over the past 50 years have made dependency on local crops a thing of the past. Almost any ingredient can be found in the modern supermarket or produce center at any time.

Thirdly, Berry's presentation of recipes by month results in dependence on the index in order to find recipes for a particular ingredient. This is perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the book's layout. An alphabetical listing of recipes, as he used in subsequent books, would have been more convenient.

In defense of the author, however, I must point out that Berry never anticipated his book would have worldwide appeal. Nor, it would seem, that it would remain popular for so long. Certainly he would not have quoted prices for ingredients and supplies had he suspected as much.

Are these shortcomings fatal? Not in the least! This is still the classic reference to the subject and ought to be in every winemaker's library. Indeed, if you could only buy one book on the subject, only Terry Garey's "The Joy of Home Winemaking" could challenge "First Steps...." to a coin toss.

Buy it. Read it. Make wine. You'll love yourself for it.

Excellent book for the right audience, 05 Jan 2008
The ever increasing size of this book reflects the increasing interest in wine, so it now lands with an impressive thump on your desktop. Though its content doesn't always reflect who that new market is.

The authors start with a, rather meandering, description of the history and production of wine and some basic notes on tasting, appreciation and handling of wine. Some of this is very useful, most of it is very basic for someone who already knows the subject and all of it could do with some editing to make the best of their material. Some of it punctures some of the myths about wine such as how long wines should be laid down and do you really need to let wine breath. Elsewhere they perpetuate some of those myths, for example they still seem to give the whole concept of 'terroir' an almost mystical reverence.

That introduction, however, is not really the point of this volume. This appears to be aimed at the new wine connoisseur or someone who wants to be a connoisseur. The real body of this is a fairly comprehensive atlas of vineyards and producers. The detail with which they cover their subject is variable but excusably so as it reflects the varying national interest in wine. So France is covered in incredible detail while England, however much it's wine industry may be growing, is given one brief page. Annoying when you had hoped for something comprehensive but understandable. As long as you stick to well established wine producing regions and buy from those regions this will have something to tell you.

Which, excellent as it is, is also a problem this book has. Ninety per cent of the wine buying public, whether they are buying something cheap and nasty from tescos or something better from a merchant will be buying a blend; a chardonnay or shiraz whose provenance can be narrowed down no more closely than southern Australia, South Africa or so on. Good as those wines are this book doesn't help in selecting them.

If you've moved from just buying a muscadet or whatever to buying 'something from the Loire Valley' then this is ideal for you. If you want to do so then this is ideal. If you like wine and maps then this is interesting if not useful. If you, like me, are happy buying muscadet and merlot but have no real desire to take your wine buying much further then this is probably not for you. So, interesting but impractical for most of us but excellent for the right audience.



The World According to Wine, 23 Dec 2007
At 400 pages, British wine experts Huge Johnson and Jancis Robinson have created their most exhaustive atlas yet, and a tremendous resource. The book is gorgeous - with a generous amount of color illustrations, photos, and maps, including 2 page spreads. All told there are 48 extra pages over the previous edition.

The 6th edition contains 200 maps, all revised and updates, including 20 new maps. The introduction contains essays on wine in the ancient world, vine types, grape varieties, weather, terroir, the wine growers calendar, how wine is made, etc. etc. Robinson has said this new edition took two years of concentrated effort. It was worth it!

Then the authors dive deep into wine regions organized by country. Each region or country covered has a colored map, an essay about the characteristics of the reason, vital statistics, and a few wine labels. France has the most with 55 regions featured, indeed, a quarter of the volume (100 pages) is on France. Italy features 18 regions. Spain 9. Portugal 6. Germany 12. United States 17. Australia 12. New Zealand 4. Other countries covered include: England and Wales, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Western Balkans, Bulgaria, Romania, Former Soviet Republics, Greece, Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, South Africa, China, Japan, and the rest of Asia. I find the information scant on Chile and Argentina, which is odd given their increased market exposure and rising excellence of wines.

The authors have expanded New World coverage, in keeping with expanded exposure and quality of the wine produced in these regions, for Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South America, and South Africa. These are additions, with nothing taken away from the previous fabulous coverage of Old & New World wine regions.

Since the first edition in 1971, the World Atlas of Wine has sold more than 4 million copies and I'm happy to add this new 6th edition to my library, especially at such a reasonable price. It's always a pleasure to look up some background information on tonight's glass of wine.

FROM VINE TO WINE ------ A MINE OF INFORMATION, 17 Oct 2002
.

Thirty years ago this book could not have been written. With the increasing ascendancy of the New World wine makers and in particular the influence of the Davis campus of the University of California, viticulture and oenology are now rigorous, scientific and commercially oriented professions. This is reflected in the "Oxford Companion to Wine" which has to be the most comprehensive, authoritative and accessible resource dealing with all aspects of the world of wine.

Jancis Robinson who edited this encyclopedia of wine is a highly respected wine writer and educator. She is also very well credentialled, holding the prestigious title of "Master of Wine".

The real power of this book as an information source is the very effective use of cross-references. Its great fun to see how far one reference will take you on subjects of particular interest to the reader. It would be good to see this book published as a CD-ROM. Hyper-linking all the cross-references would make it even more powerful.

The changes in the wine business over the past generation have seen the previously exclusive, "clubbiness", almost snobby world of fine wine appreciation opened up to everyone. It is books like this that have provided the sources of knowledge which give people the confidence and curiosity to pursue their interest and enjoyment of wine.

France is the traditional home of fine wine. The French approach to wine making is still dominated by practices and methodologies that go back centuries. It is interesting to see in the "Oxford Companion" the strong contrast between the empirically rigorous New World (particularly USA and Australian) methods and the mystery (or mystique) that even today, shrouds much of the French industry.

One of the best illustrations of this dichotomy in the Companion is the entry on "Terroir". This French term encapsulates the mystique that defines a particular vine growing area. It goes well beyond the issue of soil and microclimate but instead embraces everything that makes a particular wine unique.

In the "Companion" the terroir debate seems to come down on the side which believes the term is used to cover vagueness and explain characteristics that are otherwise difficult to explain. This allows sometimes ordinary wine to be passed off as something special.

Compare this to the innovative, scientifically supported approaches used in the New World. A good example is the development of "Canopy Management" the varying techniques used to optimize the yield and ripening characteristics of a grapevine.

Similarly we have see the arrival of "flying winemakers" from Australia into regions like the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France. They have introduced stainless steel fermentation vessels, temperature control and meticulous cleanliness, to what was previously a very rough and ready local business. They are now producing some of the some best Merlots, acknowledged by even the French.

This book will no doubt become the definitive reference book on all matters to do with the world of wine. It will be of the highest value to both the wine professional and the enthusiastic wine lover.

comprehensive wine guide for the novice to expert, 17 Nov 2000
Great 'Bible' for wine lovers. A comprehensive encyclopedia of wine ranging from types of grape and regions of wine production to detailed discriptions of the qualities of different grape varieties. This book is a must for the wine lover or the interested novice. One small criticism would be the over attention to detail in the history of each wine region and not enough comment on the actual flavours and qualities of each grape variety/growing region. Otherwise a top notch publication.

Highly recommended...An excellent, professional and well written book..., 16 Feb 2008
Any aspiring young person who wishes to join the catering profession should have a copy of this book. It is thorough, well researched, modern and expresses all the values which surround the British Culinary Arts tradition. This is a valuable edition to any ones cookery book collection. Highly recommended. (Chef Woodward, Culinary Arts Studio, University of Brighton).

Professional, exciting, value for money, 15 Aug 2007
What a book!!!!!!!
I bought the practical cookery and theory of catering at great expense, had I known this book was coming it would have been top of my list.
It is packed full of information, pictures, recipes that work and tests.
I feel confident in using this book to develop my knowledge and skills

A Massive Read!, 06 Jul 2007
I have begun to use this book for my studies to be a professional chef and wish that I had used this book throughout the whole year. It's massive and packed with useful and informative tips and theory information. This is easily the best cookery book that I've seen because it's easy to read, up to date and has bright, colour images showing the reader exactly how to use certain preparation techniques. I especially like the tip and health & safety boxes down the sides of each page.

Great book, 28 Jun 2007
I just thought I would send a brief review in.
This book is a breath of fresh air, concise, professional and it's step by step photos are great.
I am an enthusiastic chef who is self taught.
I have gone from book to book in the quest for knowledge.
Finally an author who has experience, skill and a good training back ground.
I will definately by the level 3 when it becomes avaliable.

Breathtaking, 14 Jun 2007
I have just come to the end of my level 1 NVQ course in cooking and have been struggling to use the old text books.
This new book which I have just recieved will be of great use for my studies next year and I have started to cook the dishes at home.

The poached halibut and cherry tomato confit is really tasty and looks exactly like the pictures in the book.



Professional Chef - Level 3 - S/NVQ: 3, 15 Feb 2008
I am genuinely excited about this book! When I first received it, I had a thoroughly good look through it and was especially impressed with the chefs profiles and the quality of the photographs which support the text. The many pictures and recipes demonstrate an excellent level of culinary competence. The authors have a real feeling for all things culinary and have created a set of books which should be recommended to all young and aspiring chefs. The book is written with care and diligence with detailed observations and well written explanations of the methods, which is so important when writing a culinary manual. Ken Woodward, Senior Lecturer, Culinary Arts Studio, University of Brighton.

This Book Deserves SIX Stars!!!, 03 Jan 2006
The best thing about this book is that it is written by two real wine experts, who remember well what it was like to be a "wine newbie."

Ed is a former teacher who became interested, in wine, and met Mary at an Italian wine tasting in New York City. Two years later, they married, and formally merged their wine cellars and wine libraries. Ed has co-authored six wine books, and is the sole author of Champagne for Dummies. He also writes for Wine Enthusiast Magazine and Decanter.

Mary entered the retail wine business right out of college, when she accepted a position with the Italian Trade Commission. Today she runs a wine school based in New York City called International Wine Center, which mainly trains wine professionals. She is also a wine columnist for the NY Daily News. Mary is the first female Master of Wine (MW) in the United States, and one of only 19 MW's in the country (with 240 worldwide).

Both Ed and Mary are Certified Wine Educators (CWE). Ed and Mary write wine columns in Nation's Restaurant News, and in Beverage Media.

Having had many years of experience drinking wine (but without really knowing what I was doing), and having taken a wine course over the internet two times, I felt ready to invest in a couple of wine books. Everyone one on the American Amazon site absolutely raved about this book. When I received the book, I found all the raving to be completely UNDERstated!

The book is divided into six sections, and is extremely clear, and user-friendly. Section One deals with wine and wine-making, tasting and wine vocabulary, grape varieties, and pricing. Section Two deals with navigating wine shops and restaurant lists, all about serving and using wine (with some surprisingly helpful tips I'd never heard of), and judging wine labels.

Section Three explains and has separate chapters each of France, Italy, and Elsewhere in Europe. Another chapters discusses wine of Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa. there is a another large chapter on American Wines, covering California well, in addition to covering Oregon Washington, New York State, as well as a brief mention of both Ontario and British Columbia. A final chapter in Part Three deals with fortified wines--their history, and varieties--Sherry, Marsala, Port, Madeira, and Sauternes.

Section Four discusses wine information sources--publications, classes, tastings, auctions, catalogs, and on-line ordering. Next is explained how to write tasting notes, how to marry wine with food, and how to decide what kind of wine person you are--serious, small, or non-collector, and suggested wine strategies good for each type of wine person to follow. Also covered is how to invest in wine.

Section Five deals with most of the common wine questions, such as if wine is fattening, what vintage to buy, new and old oaks, who is a wine expert, if imported wines are better, if a wine has to be expensive to be good, and when to drink various wines. Part Six consists of various useful appendixes.
I learned SO much useful information from reading this book. If there were a higher rating than five stars, this book should have it. It is one of the best books I've read in the past couple of years.

I would also recommend another book to supplement this book, called The Wine Guy, by Andy Besch. It covers completely different aspects of wine purchasing, tasting, comparing, and finding out what YOU enjoy yourself.

Very useful, 09 Jun 2004
Accessible, easy to read, and well laid out. This will be very useful as a general reference, to those who want to get a bit of background about what they're buying, and to provide interesting facts about everything from the wine-making process to investing in wine to proper storage. There are good descriptions of wines and wine-makers world-wide. My only gripe would be that there wasn't more space devoted to matching particular wines to food.

excellent introduction to wine, 06 Dec 1998
This is an excellent, well-written introduction to the world of wine.

an outstanding book on wine, 24 Sep 1998
This is a concise, easy to read book on wine that is fairly thorough and extremely practical. It makes wine very accessible and enjoyable to all.

Definitive - If you choose one book - this is it!, 16 Mar 2005
C J J Berry was a master on winemaking. I have bought and read most books on winemaking. This is the one I always turn back to. If you have to buy one book on homewinemaking this is the one! He begins my explaining the concepts and techniques of winemaking in easy to understand terms. He also explains the science behind the process but he is never confusing or condescending. I have never come across a problems which has not been solved by his troubleshooting section and his procedures are comprehensive but easy to follow. The remainder of the book takes you through a wine making year with suggestions, recipies and leaves you confident enough to experiment successfully. All recipes are in metric, imperial and US measures. He leaves you feeling that country wines from fruit are nothing to be ashamed of and that you should not worry about trying to emulate wines you can buy. Having said that, many of the wines stand comparison to anything you can buy. First published in 1960 it has not dated and will remain a reference for all authors to aspire to. It is an invaluable reference for both beginners and those more advanced wine makers.

May be the only book of its kind you will ever need?, 15 Dec 2004
I got into wine making about ten years ago, having used a few home brew wine kits. I then wanted to try making my own from scratch. Sure enough this book was recommended to me as a starting point. Well, I have now made over 100 gallons of wine in those years since biying the book, and not one bottle has been spoilt, all of them drinkable, and some of them that good that my friends were amazed that I made them, and hadn't bought it from a supermarket! It has plenty of tips, recipe ideas, etc in very easy to understand guidance. Starting off with the basics this gives you enough to progress on to bigger and better ideas. I can now adapt and make my own recipes for home made wines with ease. Although a little old fashion in his ways, he makes home brewing a pleasure and not a chore.

Invaluable!, 24 Feb 2002
I've yet to find a book that can come close to First Steps in Winemaking, which is excellent for both beginner and established brewer alike.

Some might argue the style is a little dated, but I rather like the 1960's oulook on life. A sound investment for anyone thinking of taking up this rewarding hobby.

This classic guided three generations from crop to wine., 18 Jun 1998
C.J.J. Berry is a legend to winemaking hobbiests worldwide as the man who had a winemaking recipe for just about any ingredient. For literally tens of thousands of home winemakers, this is the only reference book they ever had or needed.

When it first appeared, the layout of "First Steps in Winemaking" was quite unique. After an admirable discussion of the basic principles of home winemaking, Berry then presented his recipes on the basis of the month in which the principal ingredients are readily available at market or are typically harvested in the British home garden. There are three things wrong with this format.

Firstly, citing harvest months for various ingredients geographically limits the accuracy of the format. Harvest times for any crop will vary greatly around the world, but they can differ from Britain's calendar by six months for gardeners in, say, Australia. Berry's treatment works fine in the British Isles and many other places, but certainly this is not universally so. In his later books, Berry abandoned the calendar-month format of "First Steps...."

Secondly, at least in developed countries, there is no longer a need to be tied to calendar-month availability of ingredients. Advances in cargo transport and refrigeration over the past 50 years have made dependency on local crops a thing of the past. Almost any ingredient can be found in the modern supermarket or produce center at any time.

Thirdly, Berry's presentation of recipes by month results in dependence on the index in order to find recipes for a particular ingredient. This is perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the book's layout. An alphabetical listing of recipes, as he used in subsequent books, would have been more convenient.

In defense of the author, however, I must point out that Berry never anticipated his book would have worldwide appeal. Nor, it would seem, that it would remain popular for so long. Certainly he would not have quoted prices for ingredients and supplies had he suspected as much.

Are these shortcomings fatal? Not in the least! This is still the classic reference to the subject and ought to be in every winemaker's library. Indeed, if you could only buy one book on the subject, only Terry Garey's "The Joy of Home Winemaking" could challenge "First Steps...." to a coin toss.

Buy it. Read it. Make wine. You'll love yourself for it.

Excellent book for the right audience, 05 Jan 2008
The ever increasing size of this book reflects the increasing interest in wine, so it now lands with an impressive thump on your desktop. Though its content doesn't always reflect who that new market is.

The authors start with a, rather meandering, description of the history and production of wine and some basic notes on tasting, appreciation and handling of wine. Some of this is very useful, most of it is very basic for someone who already knows the subject and all of it could do with some editing to make the best of their material. Some of it punctures some of the myths about wine such as how long wines should be laid down and do you really need to let wine breath. Elsewhere they perpetuate some of those myths, for example they still seem to give the whole concept of 'terroir' an almost mystical reverence.

That introduction, however, is not really the point of this volume. This appears to be aimed at the new wine connoisseur or someone who wants to be a connoisseur. The real body of this is a fairly comprehensive atlas of vineyards and producers. The detail with which they cover their subject is variable but excusably so as it reflects the varying national interest in wine. So France is covered in incredible detail while England, however much it's wine industry may be growing, is given one brief page. Annoying when you had hoped for something comprehensive but understandable. As long as you stick to well established wine producing regions and buy from those regions this will have something to tell you.

Which, excellent as it is, is also a problem this book has. Ninety per cent of the wine buying public, whether they are buying something cheap and nasty from tescos or something better from a merchant will be buying a blend; a chardonnay or shiraz whose provenance can be narrowed down no more closely than southern Australia, South Africa or so on. Good as those wines are this book doesn't help in selecting them.

If you've moved from just buying a muscadet or whatever to buying 'something from the Loire Valley' then this is ideal for you. If you want to do so then this is ideal. If you like wine and maps then this is interesting if not useful. If you, like me, are happy buying muscadet and merlot but have no real desire to take your wine buying much further then this is probably not for you. So, interesting but impractical for most of us but excellent for the right audience.



The World According to Wine, 23 Dec 2007
At 400 pages, British wine experts Huge Johnson and Jancis Robinson have created their most exhaustive atlas yet, and a tremendous resource. The book is gorgeous - with a generous amount of color illustrations, photos, and maps, including 2 page spreads. All told there are 48 extra pages over the previous edition.

The 6th edition contains 200 maps, all revised and updates, including 20 new maps. The introduction contains essays on wine in the ancient world, vine types, grape varieties, weather, terroir, the wine growers calendar, how wine is made, etc. etc. Robinson has said this new edition took two years of concentrated effort. It was worth it!

Then the authors dive deep into wine regions organized by country. Each region or country covered has a colored map, an essay about the characteristics of the reason, vital statistics, and a few wine labels. France has the most with 55 regions featured, indeed, a quarter of the volume (100 pages) is on France. Italy features 18 regions. Spain 9. Portugal 6. Germany 12. United States 17. Australia 12. New Zealand 4. Other countries covered include: England and Wales, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Western Balkans, Bulgaria, Romania, Former Soviet Republics, Greece, Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, South Africa, China, Japan, and the rest of Asia. I find the information scant on Chile and Argentina, which is odd given their increased market exposure and rising excellence of wines.

The authors have expanded New World coverage, in keeping with expanded exposure and quality of the wine produced in these regions, for Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South America, and South Africa. These are additions, with nothing taken away from the previous fabulous coverage of Old & New World wine regions.

Since the first edition in 1971, the World Atlas of Wine has sold more than 4 million copies and I'm happy to add this new 6th edition to my library, especially at such a reasonable price. It's always a pleasure to look up some background information on tonight's glass of wine.

FROM VINE TO WINE ------ A MINE OF INFORMATION, 17 Oct 2002
.

Thirty years ago this book could not have been written. With the increasing ascendancy of the New World wine makers and in particular the influence of the Davis campus of the University of California, viticulture and oenology are now rigorous, scientific and commercially oriented professions. This is reflected in the "Oxford Companion to Wine" which has to be the most comprehensive, authoritative and accessible resource dealing with all aspects of the world of wine.

Jancis Robinson who edited this encyclopedia of wine is a highly respected wine writer and educator. She is also very well credentialled, holding the prestigious title of "Master of Wine".

The real power of this book as an information source is the very effective use of cross-references. Its great fun to see how far one reference will take you on subjects of particular interest to the reader. It would be good to see this book published as a CD-ROM. Hyper-linking all the cross-references would make it even more powerful.

The changes in the wine business over the past generation have seen the previously exclusive, "clubbiness", almost snobby world of fine wine appreciation opened up to everyone. It is books like this that have provided the sources of knowledge which give people the confidence and curiosity to pursue their interest and enjoyment of wine.

France is the traditional home of fine wine. The French approach to wine making is still dominated by practices and methodologies that go back centuries. It is interesting to see in the "Oxford Companion" the strong contrast between the empirically rigorous New World (particularly USA and Australian) methods and the mystery (or mystique) that even today, shrouds much of the French industry.

One of the best illustrations of this dichotomy in the Companion is the entry on "Terroir". This French term encapsulates the mystique that defines a particular vine growing area. It goes well beyond the issue of soil and microclimate but instead embraces everything that makes a particular wine unique.

In the "Companion" the terroir debate seems to come down on the side which believes the term is used to cover vagueness and explain characteristics that are otherwise difficult to explain. This allows sometimes ordinary wine to be passed off as something special.

Compare this to the innovative, scientifically supported approaches used in the New World. A good example is the development of "Canopy Management" the varying techniques used to optimize the yield and ripening characteristics of a grapevine.

Similarly we have see the arrival of "flying winemakers" from Australia into regions like the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France. They have introduced stainless steel fermentation vessels, temperature control and meticulous cleanliness, to what was previously a very rough and ready local business. They are now producing some of the some best Merlots, acknowledged by even the French.

This book will no doubt become the definitive reference book on all matters to do with the world of wine. It will be of the highest value to both the wine professional and the enthusiastic wine lover.

comprehensive wine guide for the novice to expert, 17 Nov 2000
Great 'Bible' for wine lovers. A comprehensive encyclopedia of wine ranging from types of grape and regions of wine production to detailed discriptions of the qualities of different grape varieties. This book is a must for the wine lover or the interested novice. One small criticism would be the over attention to detail in the history of each wine region and not enough comment on the actual flavours and qualities of each grape variety/growing region. Otherwise a top notch publication.

Highly recommended...An excellent, professional and well written book..., 16 Feb 2008
Any aspiring young person who wishes to join the catering profession should have a copy of this book. It is thorough, well researched, modern and expresses all the values which surround the British Culinary Arts tradition. This is a valuable edition to any ones cookery book collection. Highly recommended. (Chef Woodward, Culinary Arts Studio, University of Brighton).

Professional, exciting, value for money, 15 Aug 2007
What a book!!!!!!!
I bought the practical cookery and theory of catering at great expense, had I known this book was coming it would have been top of my list.
It is packed full of information, pictures, recipes that work and tests.
I feel conf