Book Review: The Cork Jester’s Guide to Wine



By John ~ February 6th, 2009.

20090206_corkjesterThe Cork Jester’s Guide to Wine: An Entertaining Companion For Tasting It, Ordering It, and Enjoying It by Jennifer Rosen was a stocking stuffer from Kori a couple years ago. I finally got around to reading it and wished that I hadn’t waited so long. I found it to be an extremely entertaining read. It has good information for the novice as well as for the more experienced wine aficionado, all in an easy-to-read style. It doesn’t wear you out like some wine books do.

“Cork Jester Jennifer Rosen’s books should be on the shelf of any wine lover whose palate is connected to their funny bone.” –Paul Gregutt, Seattle Times

The book is divided into eleven parts covering everything from the vineyard, tasting, and storage to the restaurant experience and even science projects. Author Jennifer Rosen is a cork jester; she’s opinionated and witty but not offensive.

A couple of my favorite quotes from the book:

“I get just as big a kick tuning Americans in to the seductive whisper of old and subtle wine as I do giving Europeans permission to just go ahead and enjoy the fruit. Proclaiming one style better seems as silly as asking, ‘What should music be: Mozart or that danged rock and roll?’ Answer: all of that and more.” –Author Jennifer Rosen on wine styles

“Syrah enjoys the sort of universal approval normally reserved for puppies and firemen. …. If you don’t want to devote hours of it [your life] to memorizing wine factoids, stop! Just order Syrah, the wine that nobody doesn’t like. (If you write now and tell me you don’t like it, you’re probably the kind of person who kicks puppies. My fireman’s going to come beat you up.” –Author Jennifer Rosen on varietals

The examples above are representative of what goes on all throughout this breezy, informative read. But let me save some of the best for you to read yourself, like in Part 9 where she gives advice to singles on wine and dating.

If you enjoy wine and have a sense of humor, I believe that you will like this book so treat yourself to a copy or put it on your wish list. For $10 in paperback at Amazon.com, this book has a high QPR.

Have you already read The Cork Jester’s Guide to Wine? If so, what did you think of it?

Cheers!


Filed under: Wine Books

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