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From mastering blind tasting to understanding wine flaws, check out our list of the top 6 wine tasting books for both novice and seasoned wine drinkers. Learn from renowned experts and take your wine tasting skills to the next level.
Best books on wine tasting
Below you’ll find a list of my favorite books on wine tasting. They’re in no particular order as they target different skill levels. Pick the book that you think suits you best. If you’re having trouble deciding, feel free to leave a comment, and I’ll help you out.
Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette
This was one of the first wine books I bought. It describes all the important grape varieties and their corresponding taste profiles in a clear and visual way, making it a useful tool for blind tasting practice. This is the first step. Once you can remember the taste profiles, you can move on to the second book in this list: Beyond Flavour.
Beyond Flavour by Nick Jackson
For those who want to up their blind tasting game. Keep in mind that this may be a bit advanced for beginner wine drinkers, but if you’re studying for WSET4 or an equivalent, it’s fantastic. Nick Jackson, a Master of Wine, found blind tasting challenging because it was only based on taste profile. He discovered that acidity for whites and tannins for reds are also critical indicators of a wine’s identity. It was truly an eye-opener for me.
Anyone can taste by Cees van Casteren
Do you enjoy wine as much as I do? This book will make it even more enjoyable. Anyone can taste teaches you how to taste wine using the method that Cees van Casteren used to pass his Master of Wine exam. Wine tasting becomes child’s play with the six steps of Cees’ method.
I Taste Red by Jamie Goode
Okay, this is not an easy book, as Jamie likes to delve into the chemistry of wine. If you’re already more advanced, or if you’re really interested in this side of wine, it’s a fascinating book. The material may be difficult, but Jamie Goode explains it clearly and slowly.
Flawless by Jamie Goode
Here’s Jamie again, because he belongs on your bookshelf. This book is about faults in wine, from minor flaws that we can sometimes appreciate to outright disasters like cork taint.
Essential Winetasting by Michel Schuster
The book costs only a couple of euros on your e-reader. That’s a steal. I’ve read many wine books, but this one is still enlightening, innovative, and educational. It starts with a detailed explanation of the tasting technique and the fact that you can really train yourself to do it. Good wine tasters may seem like super tasters to outsiders, but in reality, they’re just learning and speaking a new language. And you can learn that language too, as long as you keep practicing. Top-notch!
And now, it’s your turn… what’s your favorite wine book? Let me know.