What Makes a Wine Worth Drinking: In Praise of the Sublime

by Terry Theise

Overview

A paean to authentic wines and a New York Times Best Wine Book of the Year from the James Beard Award-winning author of Reading Between the Wines. 
 
What makes a wine worth drinking? As celebrated wine writer Terry Theise explains in this gem of a book, answering that seemingly simple question requires us to look beyond what's in our glass to consider much bigger questions about beauty, harmony, soulfulness, and the values we hold dear. Most of all, Theise shows, what makes a wine worth drinking is its authenticity. When we choose small-scale, family-produced wine over the industrially produced stuff, or when we opt for subtle, companionable wines over noisy, vulgar ones, we not only experience their origins with the greatest possible clarity and detail—we also gain a new perspective on ourselves and the world we inhabit. In this way, artisanal wine is not only the key to good drinking; it is also the key to a good life. 
 
An unforgettable literary journey into the heart and soul of wine, What Makes a Wine Worth Drinking is a gift to be cherished from a writer "whose id is directly connected to his mouth" (Eric Asimov, The New York Times).
 
Winner of the Louis Roederer International Wine Writers' Awards Chairman's Award 
A "Best Wine Gift" by WineSpeed 
 
"Grown-up wine writing, full of emotion . . . and, in these dangerously cynical times, exactly what we wine enthusiasts—we human beings—need."—The World of Fine Wine
"Theise's fans, as well as those just meeting him for the first time, will revel as he leads us on an existential tour of wine."—Dave McIntyre, The Washington Post

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328761958
Publisher:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date:	11/06/2018
Sold by:	OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED - EBKS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Terry Theise, winner of the James Beard Foundation's Award for Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional, is an importer of boutique wines from Germany, Austria, and Champagne. His articles have appeared in The World of Fine Wine magazine. He was Wine & Spirits Man of the Year in 2001 and Food and Wine magazine's Importer of the Year in 2006. His award-winning first book, Reading Between the Wines, has been hailed as "the single best book I've ever read on why wine matters" (Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible).He lives in Roslindale, MA.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 That First Bottle 15

2 Turnover! Turnover! Turnover! 25

3 What Makes a Wine Worth Drinking? 31

4 Accounting for Taste 51

5 Power at All Costs? 71

6 Bottle and Soul 87

7 Serving the Thirsty Ghost 101

8 Finnegan's Note 117

9 The Tasting Knot 127

10 Glimmers from the Year in Wine 139

11 Writing Down the Beaunes 159

A Note on Sources 179

Acknowledgments 181

Editorial Reviews

...I loved this book. Mr. Theise’s companionable ruminations provide much to ponder, preferably with a glass of great wine.”—Eric Asimov, The New York Times ("Best Wine Books of 2018")

“Grown-up wine writing, full of emotion…and, in these dangerously cynical times, exactly what we wine enthusiasts—we human beings—need.”—The World of Fine Wine

“With Theise at the helm, a ‘wine moment’…feels achievable, even to the novice. This intoxicating book illuminates a path to savoring good wine, body, and spirit.”—Publishers Weekly

“Theise’s fans, as well as those just meeting him for the first time, will revel as he leads us on an existential tour of wine.” —Dave McIntyre, Washington Post
 
“Will charm any wine lover...Theise's impassioned and erudite writing inspires as well as instructs, and most certainly complements the complexity of your favorite wine.” —Alder Yarrow, Vinography

“Terry’s book is so much more than a guide to what makes wine worth drinking. It is the story of one man’s complex love affair with wine, fraught with beauty, sadness, poignancy, wonderment, perplexity, and finally, surrender. If you’re a wine drinker, this book will transform the way you think about wine. It did for me.”—Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and creator of WineSpeed
 
“Compelling and poetic, Terry Theise’s latest book is an intricate look into his brilliant wine mind, and an invitation to join in his lifelong journey of understanding and appreciation. A great read!"—Rajat Parr, co-author of Secrets of the Sommeliers
 
“A deeply philosophical meditation on wine as a sort of technology of the sacred—or put another way, how the sacred finds its way into our lives through the humble medium of wine.  As far as the ‘right attitude’ toward wine, Theise proposes something rather akin to Martin Buber's "I-Thou" relationship: an attitude beyond respect, indeed one of active reverence.  If you are mystified (and who amongst us is not from time to time?) by the incredibly complex world of wine, Theise’s modern Guide to the Vinously Perplexed is for you.”—Randall Grahm, founder, Bonny Doon Vineyard

 “An extraordinary book from one of today’s most important voices in wine. With erudite vision and eloquently persuasive prose, Theise reflects on a lifelong relationship with wine, presenting wine as a companion rather than merely a consumable product, arguing the moral importance of value judgment and offering insights on why and how you should care about what you drink. This is mandatory reading for anyone seeking to engage wine on more than a superficial level.”—Peter Liem, author of Champagne and ChampagneGuide.net

“The philosopher prince of American wine merchants reflects upon his craft in this deeply personal odyssey in wine.  Seamlessly merging autobiography and wider contemplation, What Makes a Wine Worth Drinking is at once uproariously funny and seriously profound. Essential reading for anyone concerned about authenticity in food and drink.”—Francis Percival, co-author, Reinventing the Wheel: Milk, Microbes, and the Fight for Real Cheese

From the Publisher