California Wine For Dummies

By Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan

Discover the nuances of California wines and increase your drinking pleasure

Want to be a California wine connoisseur? This friendly guide gives you the knowledge you need to appreciate these fine wines, showing you how to taste them, select a good bottle, pair wine with food, and much more. You'll see why certain wine regions are renowned and how to further enrich your wine-drinking experience.

• California wine 101 — understand the range of California wines, what makes them unique, and what a varietal wine is

• Review the regions — explore the major wine regions of California and what makes each one special, from the soil to the climate

• Open the bottle — become fluent in the Big Six: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel

• Go beyond the basics — appreciate Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Syrah, sparkling wines, and more

• Round out your wine experience — pair and share wines, learn about the proper glassware and serving temperatures, and prepare for a winery visit

Open the book and find:

• An overview of California wine today

• Wine recommendations for all budgets

• Explanations of wine label language

• A map of wine regions

• Tips for aging and collecting California wines

• Winery tasting etiquette

• The ins and outs of recent vintages

• Top wine country travel destinations

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Mar 25, 2009
• ISBN: 9780470506523

Ed McCarthy

Ed McCarthy, CWE, is a regular contributor to Wine Enthusiast and The Wine Journal.

Reviews for California Wine For Dummies

[occassionalread · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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

[datrappert · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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

[grizzly9anderson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An excellent introduction to all things wine. I keep this handy in the kitchen and probably look something up in it once every month or two.