Jonathan Nossiter

Interesting approach to wine appreciation in which the author argues that the evaluation of wine is a dynamic function of th wine, when and where it is drunk, what you know about how it was made and what you eat with it. The author makes frequent analogies between wine making and movie directors. I am too ignorant w.r.t. movies to appreciate these. Nevertheless some of his descriptions are very evocative.

The book is also a bit of a crusade against Robert Parker/Wine Spectator and others who claim to be able to evaluate wine objectively. I found it reassuring that there are least a view knowledgeable wine people who find the overblown descriptions by these reviewers hard to understand.… (mehr)

The guy who made 'Mondovino' writes about the power struggle in Bordeaux and beyond. Slow read at first, perhaps I was struggling with the French language, but soon became very engaging, if intense. He doesn't mince his words. He loves terroir, acidity, personalities, he hates Michel Roland, Robert Parker, easy, sweet, over-alcohoolic wines. He states that much of Bordeaux is a whore to Parker's points and far prefers independant Burgundy, Loire, alsacians. Aubert de Villaine and Hubert de Montille; Alix de Montille... He castigates new Spain wines, like Pingus by the Danish wine-maker made-for-Parker... would he like Terramol?… (mehr)

I liked it a lot. I have many winebooks (some 10 yards. One day I hope they'll be on librarything) and most are not worth rereading but this one is. Wideranging, from caviste to the condition humaine, not to forget about the riddle of the bad bottle of wine, this book has some deep thought sabout what wine is and about the position of the consumer in today's world. Food for thought it leaves you with many more questions than answers. Always a good thing in a book. It also makes me want to go to Paris and buy a lot of bottles of wine. Which is maybe not so good.… (mehr)

Peut-on mondialiser le goût?

La réponse est évidemment non! Si dès que j'achète un vin à 10 euros je sais exactement le goût qu'il va avoir avant même de l'avoir ouvert, on brise l'effet de surprise, de nouveauté, de découverte.
Le livre est très intéressant, même s'il est frustrant que ce soit surtout des tables Parisiennes qui y soient mentionnées. Le style est parfois décousu. On passe des dialogues retranscrits aux descriptions plus longues. On n'achètera pas ce livre pour la littérature mais pour le message et l'optimisme. On a vraiment envie de partir à la découverte, de parler aux cavistes, d'imaginer de nouvelles associations de goût.… (mehr)