Red, White, and Drunk All Over: A Wine Soaked Journey From Grape to Glass

By Natalie MacLean

Award-winning writer Natalie MacLean sweeps readers behind the scenes of the international wine world, visiting its most evocative places and meeting its most charismatic personalities. Red, White, and Drunk All Over showcases the engaging wit, investigative curiosity, and sharp eye for obsessive passion that has made her free e-newsletter Nat Decants one of the most popular in North America.

Natalie tastes sensuous pinot noir in the ancient cellars of Burgundy while discovering the mysterious tenets of biodynamic viticulture from such colourful characters as the tiny, ferocious Lalou Bize-Leroy, part-owner of France's acclaimed Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. She pulls on sturdy boots to help with the grape harvest at California’s Bonny Doon Vineyards–and gets to the root of the anti-establishment philosophy of owner Randall Grahm, notorious for his experimental wine techniques, love for unfashionable grapes, and fondness for naming his wines “Cardinal Zin,” “Heart Has its Rieslings,” and “Big House Red” (whose grapes are grown just down the road from one of California’s state prisons).

Natalie takes a job as undercover sommelier at a five-star French restaurant, spends a day helping customers in a high-end New York wine shop, wades into a famous feud between Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson, two of the world’s best-known critics and, back home, invites friends over for a casual wine tasting. Along the way she teaches us–painlessly and often hilariously–how to face a telephone directory-sized wine list without fear, what questions to ask to get exactly the wine you are looking, what those scores out of 100 really mean, and how properly to expectorate (it’s best to start out in the shower!)

This wine-soaked blend of Kitchen Confidential and Sideways is a fascinating tour from the grape to the glass that will drive readers to drink. And think. And laugh.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Feb 24, 2009
• ISBN: 9780307372000

Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean, named the World's Best Drinks Writer, has also won four James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards. She’s the bestselling author of Red, White and Drunk All Over. She hosts the NYT recommended podcast, Unreserved Wine Talk. She lives in Ottawa.

Reviews for Red, White, and Drunk All Over

[acqwoods · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In this book, the author takes you all over the world of wine, from Burgundy in France to Napa Valley to Chile and Australia. She did get a little wordy and technical at times but I learned a lot about how wine was made and it definitely made me want to try a real tasting some time. The last chapter gives recommendations for what types of wine to drink with different foods so that will be a great reference for me.

[wineisme · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I agree with the first review: excellent read for the wine novice. Natalie advocates a de-snobbing of the wine world as wine becomes globally more adventurous and incorporated.She only discovered wine at the ripe age of a college graduate, proving you are never too old to soak up an appreciation for wine and develop your own distinctive tastes and collection.

[samsusan_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I completely enjoyed this book, its made me feel very passionate about learning about wine. MacLean breaks it down so it doesn't get too technical but you still come away learning something. At least I did anyway.

[lonepalm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Excellent read for the REAL wine lover: This is the first book that I've read that actually makes it fun to
learn about wine. It's relaxed and realistic for the wine novice.
Natalie teaches about wine to those who want to enjoy it, not just look
impressive ordering or drinking it.
I retained more real world knowledge about wine reading this than I have reading the wine magazines and tomes.

[stephmo_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Natalie MacLean does a wonderful job of cramming a well-rounded wine course into a quick-paced memoir. She's brilliantly laid it out, starting with the most daunting of wine lessons - French terroir. But it's not a chapter about French terroir, it's simply a lovely romp through Burgundy with some of the bigger players in fine wine; nevermind that by the end of the chapter, you'll know more about various growth techniques, irrigation and cultivation for that is happenstance.MacLean is smart to start with the difficult and end where wine ultimately should be - in the compay of friends. An inspired chapter discusses the dinner party and she fully places the internal monologue every host has had with themselves - the worry, the planning, the plotting - prior to a party. At the forefront, wine is for sharing with friends. While there is discussion of wine futures and auctions, it's clear that Ms. MacLean, while finding the subject fascinating, is first and foremost one who loves wine because it is a good thing. By the end of the book, you'll be yearning to call your friends over to revel in the simplicity of good wine and food. (You'll also know quite a few tricks involved in acquiring really good wines without breaking the bank.)

[atomicmutant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a really fun, accessible general book on wine. The author has great style and wit, and educates without condescending. It's entertaining to read, and I'm pretty sure I learned a lot about wine along the way, too! Recommended for wine lovers of all types!