Patrick Alexander

The Booklovers' Guide to Wine

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A delightfully informative guide to two of the world’s most rewarding pleasures—fine wine and great literature—that make for an irresistible pairing.
Nothing in the world is more satisfying to the soul than a glass of excellent cabernet sauvignon, pinot grigio, bordeaux, or any number of fine varietals—unless it’s curling up by the fire with a truly exceptional novel, history, or collection of short fiction. Now Patrick Alexander, wine aficionado and author of The Illustrated Proust, combines these unparalleled pleasures in a unique guidebook to delight connoisseurs of both Gatsby and the grape.
In The Booklovers’ Guide to Wine, Alexander shares his passion for the culture and history of wine and his love of great authors and their enduring works. Eschewing the traditional pairings of food and drink, he explores instead the most pleasing combinations of reds, whites, and rosés with their most compatible writers—be it Shakespeare with sherry, Jane Austin with chardonnay, or J.R.R. Tolkien with albariño. In addition, he examines the most interesting and thought-provoking wine references in literature while providing an intriguing history of the beloved beverage from biblical times to the latest trends.
Chock-full of intriguing facts, expert opinions, and entertaining anecdotes, The Booklovers’ Guide to Wine is a book to be savored by anyone who appreciates the complexity of a full-bodied shiraz or the unmistakable flavor of a great author.
This book is currently unavailable
385 printed pages
Original publication
2017
Publication year
2017
Publisher
Mango Media
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Quotes

  • natashadushkohas quoted5 years ago
    The intense sweetness is the result of the grapes being affected by Botrytis cinerea, a fungus commonly known as noble rot. In the autumn, the Ciron River produces an evening mist that descends upon the area and persists until after dawn. These conditions are conducive to the growth of the fungus, which desiccates the grape and concentrates the internal sugars. Harvesters pick individual grapes at dawn, when there is enough light to see but before the sun begins to warm the vines. This labor-intensive process is one of the reasons that the Sauternes and Barsac wines are so expensive. In July 2012, for example, an 1811 bottle of Château d’Yquem sold for £75,000 ($115,000). This is one of the reasons that Sauternes and Barsac wines are often sold in 375 ml half-bottles.
  • natashadushkohas quoted5 years ago
    So a delicate Dover Sole, for example, would go well with a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, but not with a Chardonnay; while a hearty steak-and-kidney pie would complement a Malbec but probably overwhelm a Beaujolais. However, the Beaujolais would go well with a light lunch, such as cold ham, charcuterie, and salad, while the Chardonnay would be the perfect match for a rich chicken in cream sauce. As noted elsewhere, when in doubt, Champagne goes well with everything.
  • natashadushkohas quoted5 years ago
    When selecting wine for a meal, the very first and most important step is to decide whether your food is going to be delicate and mild tasting or hearty and flavorful. Is it going to be fatty or lean? Will it be rich, buttery, and creamy, or will it be thin, sharp, and acidic? The wine and the food must balance each other, so that a hearty dish will match a hearty wine, while a mild-flavored food will require a delicate wine. What is important is that neither the wine nor the food should overwhelm the other.

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