cover image Alpana Pours: About Being a Woman, Loving Wine and Having Great Relationships

Alpana Pours: About Being a Woman, Loving Wine and Having Great Relationships

Alpana Singh. Academy Chicago Publishers, $17.95 (240pp) ISBN 978-0-89733-546-1

As the youngest woman to be a member of the exclusive Court of Master Sommeliers, Singh brings her extensive knowledge of wine to a new generation of wine drinking women. Singh's quirky writing makes reading about the correct wine and food pairing more fun than it should be, with titles like, ""Wine Tasting Your Way to Mr. Right,"" ""Shoes You Never Wear and Wine You Never Drink,"" and ""White Flight,"" about men's avoidance of white wines. ""From the Alpana Files,"" periodically interrupts the shop talk and traces Singh's personal history of her love of wine, including how she broke her career decision to her very surprised mother (she expected Singh to pursue medicine). The book features a detailed list of exemplary wine regions, suggestions for entertaining with wine and a very useful guide to finding good cheap wines. One of the more invaluable tools Singh includes is a key deciphering restaurant wine lists. Singh blends wine culture with everyday life, while still illuminating the mysteries and myths of wine. The author's friendly tone welcomes readers who don't know their pinot noir from their peanut butter.