Drink This: Wine Made Simple (2009) by Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl
Call #: 641.22 GRU
Find it in the catalog!
While I'm a pretty big geek when it comes to craft beer and cocktails, I've always been a novice wine drinker at best. Overall, I was mostly okay with this, in spite of the occasional twinge of embarrassment when ordering off of a wine menu.* However, when I traveled to Italy last fall and was forced to drink wine like an actual snob (swirling and sniffing) and I sort of fell in love with the stuff. Of course it helped that I was drinking what would be fifty to a hundred dollar wine stateside (just a little nicer than 4 buck Chuck). So I decided to actually learn a thing or two about wine by following the tastings in
Drink This. I haven't finished all the grapes yet (good wine is expensive), but I have vastly improved my taste.
Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl is a wine writer from the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area. Her writing is very funny and practical, making
Drink This a super accessible guide for those new to wine. However, even relatively seasoned wine drinkers could probably learn something here. The book is organized into nine major wine grapes: Zinfandel, Sauvingnon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvingon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, and Pinot Noir.
For each grape, she gives the background on it (where it's grown, its history, what to love and hate about it, etc.). Then she describes the major styles of wine from the grape, what they taste like, examples of brands, and what to pay. Finally, she gets to the fun part: tasting the grape! Here she picks out 5-6 styles of the grape for you to buy and taste at home. You can have a party or drink solo. She gives you ideas of what food to pair with the wine.
Whether you're looking to become a wine connoisseur or just want an excuse for a party with fancy wine, I heartily recommend
Drink This. It's an enjoyable and informative read that gives you a really solid plan for learning about wine (and having a good time while doing it!). After that, if you want to step up your wine game further, check out Kevin Zraly's
Windows on the World Complete Wine Course.
*"Excuse me, waiter, do you have anything pink?"
If you're looking to clear the clutter, try The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. I'm not hugely into this topic, but this book seemed different- and it is. Kondo challenges the status quo in de-cluttering. She does not advocate buying tons of storage bins (that's just organized hoarding). She doesn't want you to decide what to get rid of, but what to keep. She advises letting your items "rest" while not using them and to thank them for their service to you. It's a bit odd at times, but I think this book has the potential to really change lives.
If you're looking to just simplify your life (this can go along with the above recommendation), try Lessons From Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris by Jennifer L. Scott. Her points are about adopting the lifestyle she witnessed as an exchange student for six months in Paris. It's in line with the francophile books that have been popular the last several years, but I think Scott does a better job of describing ways of applying simpler ideals to your lifestyle. In particular, she discusses the idea of a capsule wardrobe, where you only keep and wear a small amount of clothing each season. Quality over quantity, from clothing to food. If you like this book, Scott recently published a companion book, Madame Chic at Home.
