Book Review | The wine Year

The Wine Year

Rosalind Cooper £24.95

Most wine books take one of two paths – either a straight down-the-line guide to a particular country, region, style or grape, or food and wine matching approached with a populist touch. But this superbly conceived, beautifully illustrated volume by Rosalind Cooper adopts an altogether more innovative, all-encompassing approach to enjoying learning about, and enjoying, the wines of the world.

Taking the calendar year as a structural template, we still visit both the evergreen (Bordeaux, Australia) and up-and-coming wine regions (Lebanon, India) but we also learn about how vines grow, get useful tips on storing and serving the wine, learn about some of the characters producing great bottles and we even can even fill our diaries with details of great wine festivals and fairs to visit.


The food angle is covered with great ideas for pairings for special occasions, while the photography and maps will surely inspire bookings for the increasingly holiday option of wine touring.

The author is a former Assistant Editor of Decanter and Editor of Wine Times, so she can bring an accessible touch to what is often a complex subject. For sheer vibrancy and passion for the subject and a rounded approach to what floats the wine lover’s boat, this is a truly exceptional hardback. Open, allow to breathe and savour every sip.

Author: C.Lewis