Complicated Oz Finds Simple Solution

Celebrated British wine journalist Oz Clarke, famed for his complicated wine descriptions, has turned over a new leaf, in fact 416 of them, in his helpful and straightforward new hardback OZ CLARKE’S NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WINE, published by Harcourt Brace at $40 ($60 Canada).

In the first 29 pages common-sense advice is offered on topics from winemaking to keeping and serving wine, as well as tasting. This is followed by basic facts about the main wine growing countries of the world before, at page 56, the bulk of the book becomes an A-Z of Wines, Wine Regions, Producers and Grape Varieties.


If you seek information about familiar wines like Beringer Vineyards, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild or Chianti Classico it is easily accesible and the same applies to more elusive subjects like De Bortoli, the Australian sweet wine specialist, Moravenka Pinot Gris from the Czech Republic, or Bedell Cellars from Long Island NY.

It is a simple reference book that amateurs and professionals alike will keep at hand, ready to dip into and find that unknown, or even forgotten, information. Attractively packaged with glossy pages and colour illustrations, its price of $40 is enough. But remember the old adage about books. If you see a title you either need or want, do you really take the price into consideration? .