Good, Better, Best Wines Book/Guide Review

As much as Americans love the finer things, 90% of the wines bought in America are popular big brands that cost less than $15 a bottle—yet no one has ever compared them, until now. In Good, Better, Best Wines, a new book launched this week, wine expert Carolyn Evans Hammond ranks the most popular big brand wines by grape variety and price point, up to $15 per bottle. This book is particularly timely given America is drinking more wine than ever and is poised to become the world’s biggest wine consumer by 2012 according to The International Wine and Spirit Record.

In Good, Better, Best Wines readers will find:
•    The good, better and best big name wines under $5, $8, $11 and $15, for each major grape variety
•    Hundreds of bottle images, for easy recognition on the shelf
•    Jargon-free tasting notes 
•    Perfect party wine recommendations for specific occasions
•    Trade secrets for getting the most out of each bottle

And because Good, Better, Best Wines focuses on the best-selling wines in the United States—think names like Beringer, Barefoot, Kendall-Jackson and Woodbridge—they’ll be stocked at the local store.  These are the most widely available wines in America.

About the Author:
Carolyn Evans Hammond is an accomplished wine writer whose articles have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada.  Her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution.  She also issues a newsletter, runs a wine club, conducts seminars, and publishes a blog on her website—http://www.wine-tribune.com.  She holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University. 
To learn more about Carolyn and her new book Good, Better, Best Wines, view her book trailer at http://www.wine-tribune.com

To watch the one-minute book trailer, click here: http://www.wine-tribune.com.

Good, Better, Best Wines, A No-Nonsense Guide to Popular Wines
Carolyn Evans Hammond
April 2010, $12.95
ISBN: 978-1-59257-977-8
Alpha Books

-Courtesy of Alpha Books

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I was pleased when presented with the opportunity to review the book Good, Better, Best Wines: A No-Nonsense Guide to Popular Wines by Carolyn Evans Hammond. I am a big wine fan, though I don't drink very often, it is my alcoholic drink of choice. My mom's love of wine rubbed off on me. 

Good, Better, Best Wines is a guide to popular North American wines priced under $15 a bottle. Bottles of wine under $15 are the most popular so that is why they are the focus of this book. There are sub-categories; Under $5, $8, $11, and $15. The only wines featured in the book that are priced higher are dessert wines. 

Hammond writes with wit throughout the book. I felt as though she was here reading the words of the book to me, her style is so natural. In the book you can find images of the bottles of wines featured so they are easier to find when shopping. 

The book ia broken down into categories such as Chardonnays, Pinot Grigios, Saunignon Blancs, Merlots and so forth. Then the best of each price range is shown. There are other categories such as 'Other Great Whites', 'Other Great Reds', and 'Good Deals at Super Low Prices'.

This book is the first guide to cover popular American wines. With America poised to become the world's biggest wine consumer by 2012, this book is a necessity! It's easy to use, you can take it to the store with you and use the easy to read guide to find the best wine for whatever your price range. 

Thanks Alpha Books for the review copy!

*I received a copy of GBBW to facilitate my candid and honest review. No other form of compensation was or will be given. All personal views are my own!