In Praise of The Wine Bible, 2nd Edition

by Frank Mangio
The first Wine Bible, authored by Karen MacNeil, a former New York Times writer, was published in 2001, with 909 pages of literally everything the reader would want to know about wine. I got my hands on it as a gift when I first committed to TASTE OF WINE, writing on wine for the San Diego Union Tribune in 2005.

 

 Karen MacNeil is the only Amercian wine author to have won every wine award
given in the wine world.  She has just published  her Wine Bible, 2nd Edition.

It has remained a treasured reference, from how wine is made to the most magnificent wines in all corners of the world, from Australia to Austria, and on to the great California wine countries.  My first edition is full of post-its with topics like bottle aging, the White Zinfandel fad of the 70’s, aerating of wine and many more subjects that I could not have written without the Wine Bible research. Over 100 pages were devoted to Italy, and 72 to California wine. That makes over 90% of the wines in the U.S.

I have met Karen MacNeil on two occasions.  Her grasp of all countries and their special grape varietals, has enabled her to speak on behalf of these wine areas. The 2nd edition has been long-awaited.  A lot has happened in the wine world since the original edition went to print in 2001.  Now, 14 years later and a half a million copies sold, a completely revised book is now available with  more pages, from 909 to 996.

The latest edition has been four years in the making with every chapter studiously examined and re-made. When you explore the book, the best way to master it is to carefully read the Introduction, including “Why Wine Matters,” and “How to Use the Book.” The wine culture is not a simple matter.
There are now over 10,400 bonded wineries in America , producing retail sales of $37.6 billion dollars according to to the latest reports from 2014.

 

The 2nd Edition of the Wine Bible is for sale in most book stores and the
Internet for $24.95, a timely Christmas gift for wine lovers.

MacNeil accurately takes the reader through the countries of the world and their singular elements of greatness and makes a case for a limited number of wines that have had outstanding vintages. Perhaps the most insight into MacNeil’s eloquent expressions about wine is the chapter on “What makes Great Wine Great.”  She journeys through attributes of greatness such as Distinctiveness, Balance, Complexity and an element I had not thought about, Choreography.  It is one for the books… this book, the Wine Bible, 2nd Edition.

Cost is a suggested retail price of $24.95 at most bookstores and Amazon.com.  You can order a personalized signed copy by going to karenmacneil.com.

Wine Bytes
The Solana Beach Starbucks is the first in North County to sell beer and wine for coffeehouse consumption from 4 to 10pm.  It’s also offering an expanded menu of small bites. It should be offering these new additions very soon if not now. Location is the Sprouts/Dixieline Lumber Center.

North County Wine Company in San Marcos is presenting wine lovers with an Ultra Top Flight of three half glasses of renowned wines for $25., Fri. and Sat. Dec. 11th and 12th. Then, Fri. and Sat. Dec. 18th and 19th, the annual Top Twenty Tasting event happens.  Just $35. and you can taste them all including a Caymus from Napa Valley. Call 760-753-9032 for details including times.

Quattro Staggioni, a series of dinners with leading wines and area chefs, will begin at BICE Ristorante, downtown San Diego , Tues. Dec. 15th from 6 to 9pm.  First wine to be celebrated and poured with a 4 course dinner is Batasiolo from Piemonte Italy .  Guest chefs will be Accursio Lota from Solare Ristorante and Stefano Ceresoli from Piazza 1909. Cost is $89, pp.  For an RSVP call 619-239-2423.