Clarke and Spurrier's Fine Wine Guide 2001 |
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Steven Spurrier, Oz Clarke
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Pages: 352 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0316855979
Pub: Little, Brown
Pub date: 2001-01-04
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 442119
Editorial Review:
When two noses such as those of Steven Spurrier and Oz Clarke collude, the results are bound to be extraordinary. Spurrier is probably best known for the notorious blind tasting in Paris in the 1970s in which world-class experts ranked a Californian wine higher than the grandest Bordeaux crus classés. The energetically egregious Clarke has consistently managed to combine a breezy style with the highest standards of taste and discrimination. This guide is aimed unapologetically at the top end of the market; and with an aristocratic disregard of price (the wines are likely to be expensive, some of them grotesquely so) the emphasis is firmly on luxury and quality. The concentration of top-end wines in this book is intoxicating in the extreme. As Clarke and Spurrier review the chateaux of Bordeaux, the phrases take on a kind of music: "beautiful dense fruit, never too heavy nor too extracted"; "true botrytis richness and depth"; "seduces when young but can improve for several decades"; "deep smoothness of fruit but also balancing tannins". The judgements are not handed down lightly. No South African wine, for example, is awarded the top rating of three stars, despite the extraordinary quality of wines produced in the country. At this level, the competition is severe. Whether your intention is investment or pleasure, Clarke and Spurrier will show you how to spend your money wisely. --Robin Davidson
Reader Reviews:
A wine guide suitable for all (1/1 people found this helpful)
This book is an excellent guide to wine. Not only does it have information about specific vintages (not just scores but weather reports), producer profiles and regions (including maps) it give accurate descriptions of a very wide selection of wine. It is very user friendly - unlike a lot of these wine guides on the market, and gives a good amount of information so the wine buyer can make an informed decision. Because of the layout this book, it is ideal for the person who buys the occasional bottle from the off licence or the wine connoisseur with an extensive cellar. The added bonus is that it has two opinions (Clarke and Spurrier) so offers a balanced point of view.
A fine book on Fine Wine (0/0 people found this helpful)
I am so grateful to my friends who first introduced me to Oz Clarke and who bought me The Fine Wine guide. The two authors' vast experience sieves out the wheat from the chaff to tell you about the top ranks of the wine-making world. As a keen amateur I can discover information about producer's whoes wine I may be unable to afford, and regions that I will never visit. Don't get me wrong, this is not a book for the toff and nonsense is kept to a minimum. These two gifted writers have discovered wine producers and regions that are less well established, but match in quality any of the big regions. Basically, less well known does not necessarily mean bad or incapable of making fine wine. A quick search of my local stores introduced me to several new wines I would never have found otherwise. A fascinating read for all wine lovers.
It's the book that answers wine merchants questions! (0/0 people found this helpful)
This book is a must for any serious wine lover. At last, a book that gives serious information without getting bogged down by lots of naff descriptions! The writers talents are profound: their descriptions spot-on, and their knowledge is beyond two lifetimes. Great information on appellations and wineries. Easy to follow vintage guides, along with good maps and personal favourites. This book takes you through the major areas of wine production in the world and will inform you enough to help you make wise purchases. Spot on chaps...whens the next issue?
There are everything what you should know about wines. (0/0 people found this helpful)
I found there what I wanted to find about wines. It is divided by countries, regions, producers, etc. There are ratings, charts, selection. It is really good book.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Hardcover
Books -> Refinements -> Condition (condition-type)