CATEGORY

Oz Clarke's perennial bestseller The Essential Wine Book is one of the most original and diverting wine volumes ever published. Now this conversational encyclopedia of wine, which provides complete coverage of all wine regions of the world, has been revised, updated, and expanded to reflect the latest changes in the fast-developing world of wine.

Clarke's extraordinary wine-tasting talents and eloquence combine in this beautifully illustrated book to produce a resource for every wine lover, whether a newcomer or a longtime aficionado. With his trademark combination of hard facts and breezy practical advice, Clarke outlines what makes each wine work -- what it tastes like, why it's different from its neighbors, and most important, whether it is worth seeking out.

Each chapter covers a different wine-producing region of the world and includes:

• A lively introduction to the region, with useful maps

  and a full description of grape varieties cultivated and

  wine styles produced

• Evocative descriptions of the taste of the region's wines,

  explanations of how to read the local wine labels,

  evaluations of recent vintages, and recommendations

  for enjoying these wines with food

• Vintage ratings and tasting notes, along with useful summaries of the value-for-money and availability of specific wine styles