Mastering Wine

The fine points of wine tasting remain a mystery to the majority of Americans. Here, the author's goal is to enhance enjoyment of wine drinking, and the method he advocates is comparison tasting. Maresca opens with an overview of tasting techniques and wine jargon, and reviews the various taste sensations and flavors on which readers should focus to develop their palates. One must be motivated to progress through the tastings described39 comparisons are set forth, covering 78 wines. Yet readers' work will be rewarded with a good working knowledge of the wines of the world as a basis for further reading and tasting. The author's style is pleasing, but he sometimes overplays his empathy with the neophyte. The wines reviewed are generally available across the country. November