The Wine Experience

This the memoir of Gerard Basset, OBE, the greatest wine professional of his generation. A school dropout, Gerard had to come to England to discover his passion. He threw himself into learning everything he could about wine, immersing himself in the world of Michelin star restaurants and beginning the steep climb to the top of the career ladder. Tasting Victory charts his business successes: co-founding and selling the innovative Hotel du Vin chain and founding, with his wife Nina, the much-loved Hotel TerraVina. It recounts in detail just how he managed to earn his unprecedented sequence of qualifications; Gerard is the first and only individual to hold the famously difficult Master of Wine qualification simultaneously with that of Master Sommelier and MBA in Wine Business. But it is his pursuit of the most important award of all that forms the core of this book – how, at his seventh attempt, and after a training regime that would shame most Olympic athletes, the fifty-three-year-old Gerard Basset was finally crowned the Best Sommelier of the World, and acknowledged as the greatest sommelier of his generation. Gerard's memoir is not only the story of how a champion is made, but also a record of how fine dining and hospitality changed in England, going from stale and unexciting to the world-leading sector it is today. Above all, it’s a book about succeeding against great odds: in typical fashion it was when he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus that Gerard responded by deciding to write Tasting Victory, which he completed shortly before his death in January 2019.

The only book that presents food and wine pairing from a culinary and sensory perspective. Demystifying the terminology and methodology of matching wine to food, Food and Wine Pairing: A Sensory Experience presents a practical, user-friendly approach grounded in understanding the direct relationships and reactions between food and wine components, flavors, and textures. This approach uses sensory analysis to help the practitioner identify key elements that affect pairings, rather than simply following the usual laundry list of wine-to-food matches. The text takes a culinary perspective first, making it a unique resource for culinary students and professionals. Food and Wing Pairing: Lays out the basics of wine evaluation and the hierarchy of taste concepts Establishes the foundation taste components of sweet, sour, slat, and bitter in food, and dry, acidity, and effervescence in wine, and looks at how these components relate to one another Discusses wine texture, and the results of their interactions with one another Examines the impact that spice, flavor type, flavor intensity, and flavor persistency have one the quality of wine and food matches Includes exercises to improve skills relating to taste identification and palate mapping Provides a systematic process for predicting successful matches using sequential and mixed tasting methods Gives guidance on pairing wine with foods such as cheese and various desserts, as well as service issues such as training and menu/wine list development Food and Wine Paring provides students and professionals with vivid and dynamic learning features to bring the matching process to life with detail and clarity. real-world examples include menus and tasting notes from renowned restaurants, as well as Aperitifs or vignettes portraying culinary notables—both individuals and organizations—which set their wine parings in a complete gastronomical, regional, and cultural context. Culinary students making their initial foray into understanding paring will appreciate the reader-friendly and comprehensive approach taken by Food and Wine Pairing. More advanced students, instructors, and culinary professionals will find this text to be an unparalleled tool for developing their matching process and honing their tasting instinct.

Wine Tasting: A Professional Handbook is an essential guide for any professional or serious connoisseur seeking to understand both the theory and practice of wine tasting. From techniques for assessing wine properties and quality, including physiological, psychological, and physicochemical sensory evaluation, to the latest information on types of wine, the author guides the reader to a clear and applicable understanding of the wine tasting process. Including illustrative data and testing technique descriptions, Wine Tasting is for professional tasters, those who train tasters and those involved in designing wine tastings as well as the connoisseur seeking to maximize their perception and appreciation of wine. Revised and updated coverage, notably the physiology and neurology taste and odor perception Expanded coverage of the statistical aspect of wine tasting (specific examples to show the process), qualitative wine tasting (examples for winery staff tasting their own wines; more examples for consumer groups and restaurants), tripling of the material on wine styles and types, wine language, the origins of wine quality, and food and wine combination Flow chart of wine tasting steps Flow chart of wine production procedures Practical details on wine storage and problems during and following bottle opening Examples of tasting sheets Details of errors to be avoided Procedures for training and testing sensory skill

From OIV-award-winning author, Ronald S. Jackson, Wine Tasting: A Professional Handbook, Third Edition, is an essential guide for any professional or serious connoisseur seeking to understand both the theory and practice of wine tasting. From techniques for assessing wine properties and quality, including physiological, psychological, and physicochemical sensory evaluation, to the latest information on the types of wine, the author guides the reader to a clear and applicable understanding of the wine tasting process. With its inclusion of illustrative data and testing technique descriptions, the book is ideal for both those who train tasters, those involved in designing wine tastings, and the connoisseur seeking to maximize their perception and appreciation of wine. Contains revised and updated coverage, notably on the physiology and neurology of taste and odor perception Includes expanded coverage of the statistical aspect of wine tasting (specific examples to show the process), qualitative wine tasting, wine language, the origins of wine quality, and food and wine combination Provides a flow chart of wine tasting steps and production procedures Presents practical details on wine storage and the problems that can occur both during and following bottle opening

The ultimate course for wine lovers! Learn your sauvignon blanc from your chardonnay and your merlot from your grenache. Smell, swirl and taste your way to transforming from wine novice to expert. The pages of this wine book make a comprehensive, no-nonsense wine tasting course that covers every aspect of wine from grape to glass. Explore the nuances of your favorite red and white and discover new cultivars. Inside, you’ll find: • A dynamic course in understanding wine — through tasting and appreciation — with every subject given a high-impact visual treatment. • A structure that reflects how people approach wine — talking, tasting, and buying wine comes before exploring grape varieties and wine regions. • All key wine subjects are covered, shown and explained in an easy-to-understand way. • Themed tasting exercises are located throughout the book, encouraging readers to learn at their own pace. Follow expert wine advice in the latest edition of Wine: A Tasting Course. The updated text and refreshed design bring concepts to life like food and wine pairing, identifying the style spectrum, and distinguishing taste and smell. It explores fun wine facts and explodes myths, giving you everything you need to talk, taste and enjoy your favorite vintage. Can't smell honeysuckle in that glass of sauvignon blanc, or wondering which end of a bottle of chianti is the "nose?" With this immersive guide to all things wine, you'll soon become an expert. Pour over vibrant infographics and learn through “Did you know?” boxes as you try out a selection of taste tests, and get a handle on grape varieties and regions. This wine guide is a beautiful gift for the wine lover in your life, or the book for beginners you’ve been searching for to enjoy, understand and appreciate wine.

In recent years, wine has climbed out of its elite enclave and has established a wider, younger audience. Yet, while many drink it, few dare comment on it. With his clear and entertaining approach Gerard Basset removes this stumbling block and takes both keen amateur and wine professional on a fascinating tour of the wine experience. Full of practical advice, deciphers wine speak, gives complete tasting procedures and explores the role of the senses. In particular, Basset contests some established methods, (notably on rating wines) and makes an unprecedented examination of the psychology of wine tasting.

"With Catherine Fallis’s approach of ‘less is more,’ all you need to begin your wine journey are ten grapes." —Kevin Zraly It’s easy (or easier) to become a wine expert when you narrow the field down to ten grapes. For the wine drinker who loves Pinot Noir but doesn’t know what to try next, wants a French Chardonnay but isn’t sure what to look for on the bottle, or needs a little support before they open the wine menu at lunch with a client, Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis’s authoritative but inviting introduction to wine is an indispensable guide. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel make the cut. The book covers the basics of tasting (and why wines taste the way they do), buying, and pairing wine. Fallis gives readers tricks to remember the difference between the côtes of Burgundy, offers dozens of specific recommendations in every price range, provides tips for talking to sommeliers, and shares memorable tasting exercises. This book will help readers build their wine confidence whether they’re looking for an inexpensive bottle for dinner at home or trying to impress the in- laws.