Wine for Dummies

Wine for Dummies
by Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Ed McCarthy

Wine for Dummies
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Book Summary Information

Author: Ed McCarthy, Mary Ewing-Mulligan
Edition: Audio Cassette
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Format: Abridged, Audiobook
Published: 1996-11-01
ISBN: 0694517631
Publisher: HarperAudio

Book Reviews of Wine for Dummies

Book Review: Simple and exhaustive
Summary: 4 Stars

This book is perfect for anybody who (like me before) does not know anything, or not that much about wine.

From the wine making to the etiquette, and going through the particular wine (champagne, sherry, port...), all the subjects to understand the basics are discussed.

I think the way the information is organized is also very well thought to teach about wine to ... well ..dummies! It is very easy to read and well explained.
After having browsed this book, you will be able to understand much better about wine, and even to talk about it.

I was a little surprised not to find any topic about history, role in society etc... this book is just an introduction and just gives you the tool to enjoy a bottle of wine. Do not expect to be an expert about wine regarding economy or history.

My only criticism would be the way French, Italian and Spanish wine have been quickly treated. For instance, I would have liked to have a few names of good producers from Alsace... but instead I was advised to buy the French Wine for Dummies!!!

In a nutshell : a good buy and I will keep this book on my shelf to refresh my memory once in a while.

Summary of Wine for Dummies

"A better and more entertaining introduction to wine would be hard to find... Highly recommended."

--Wine & Spirits Magazine

"Wine is one of life's great pleasures... I hope more people will relax and simply enjoy wine after this book."

--Francis Ford Coppola, Proprietor, Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery

"Mulligan and McCarthy will make you smarter with every page.At the next dinner party you will impress your friends."

--Adam M. Strum, Editor and Publisher Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Do you panic when the waiter hands you the wine list because you don't know a Chardonnay from a Cabernet Sauvignon?Do you know what to do when the waiter hands you the cork?

Well you don't have to be intimidated anymore! Wine for Dummies is the down-to-earrth, one-stop wine resource that teaches you everything:

  • Open , serve, and store wine properly

  • Read and understand a wine label

  • Distinguish good wine from bad with ease

  • Tast the "elements of wine" like body, flavor, and balance

  • Select wine for any meal or special occasion with confidence

  • Navigate your way through a wine shop like a pro

  • Enjoy fine wine without spending a lot of money


In Wine for Dummies, Mary Ewing-Mulligan teams up with hubby and fellow wine educator Ed McCarthy to guide us on an exhaustive, entertaining trip around the enological--that's right, enological--world. Though clearly experts themselves (Ewing-Mulligan is one of a handful of Americans holding the rare title Master of Wine), the authors assure us that even the most basic knowledge will undermine the very notion of wine pretension. It's as simple as this: "This wine is named for a grape variety. This wine is named for a geographical region. When they make this kind of wine, it goes into this kind of bottle." And so on.

By providing the context in which to begin exploring wine, Wine for Dummies can easily become the send-off for a lifelong education. McCarthy and Mulligan deflate many of the wine snob's attitudes; they assure us that most wine sold today is "good wine," and that any further distinctions made about wine are ultimately subjective. The practical, jovial mentoring the authors provide encourages readers to chart their own course toward drinking great wine (although the authors naturally recommend dozens of their own favorites along the way). In later chapters, McCarthy and Mulligan delve into more serious topics such as investing in and cellaring wine. Even these discussions seem appropriate, given that you'll probably find the allure of wine growing as its mystery subsides to the force of this superb introductory text. --Todd Gehman

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