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| Red, White, and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass | 
 enlarge | Author: Natalie Maclean
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $3.91
You Save: $11.04 (74%)
New (35) Used (15) from $3.89
Avg. Customer Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 68746
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.4 x 1
ISBN: 1582346496
Dewey Decimal Number: 641
EAN: 9781582346496
ASIN: 1582346496
Publication Date: October 16, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New book. Fast Shipping. May have small remainder mark.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Fantastic Fun and Full of Information January 7, 2008
Really great read, full of information, well-paced and accessible. She explains how to find wine you appreciate in what can be a very intimidating industry. I wouldn't normally bother to write a review of a book, but this was an impulse buy that I loved and the author really deserves a lot of credit for something so well written...
An Interesting and Enjoyable Read August 19, 2007
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
Marketing books will tell you that the way to captivate a customer for your product is to tell a story, rather than recite a bunch of dry facts. The majority of books about wine focus on facts - about the grapes, vintages, food matches, how-to's, etc., and there's certainly nothing wrong with that except for when you've read one, the others get kind of repetitive.
What is refreshing about Ms. MacLean's book is that you learn via her telling you stories, relating her various wine world experiences. Her writing style is personable and easy to read, and makes you feel like you are accompanying her on her journeys. Reading her book is sort of like listening to Forrest Gump while most other wine books are like listening to a lecture. She's also got a great sense of humor - very entertaining.
The book is similar in style to Kermit Lynch's Adventures on the Wine Route; both educate the reader via tales of wine encounters. The difference is Mr. Lynch focuses on his visits to the various producers he imports (and thus writes from the point of view of a merchant and wine lover), whereas Ms. MacLean has a broader scope of topics (and it is obvious she has a passion for wine). What they do have very much in common is a talent for making you thirsty for the subject matter. Consider them both great ambassadors for wine.
One other thing I'd like to add is I admire how the author got started in her career. She came across something that really interested her, she pursued it, and her passion is obvious. We should all find something we love so much!
A Fun Way To Learn About Wine July 17, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Through this book, Natalie MacLean has achieved something many wine writers strive for but rarely achieve. Her book is educational, yet not at all intimidating -- it's actually fun to read. Natalie covers a wide variety of topics most "average, everyday winedrinkers" are interested in knowing more about -- wine production, marketing, tasting, and sharing -- and she does so with a humorous way of poking fun at herself. Great writing style!
Off Dry June 21, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Unfortunately, much of today's wine writing is, if you'll pardon the expression, far too dry, but Natalie MacLean has managed to wrap some very informative -- even at times rather technical -- information in a wonderfully entertaining package. She also spices things up with some delightfully sensual language, not least her decidedly female perspective late in the book on opening a bottle of champagne which I'll leave for readers to discover for themselves.
Speaking of champagne, that particular chapter ("The Merry Widows of Mousse") was my favorite, both informative and lyrical, almost poetic perhaps, in its evocation of the glories of champagne and its magical journey from chalky soil east of Paris all the way to our glasses in some of life's most enjoyable and memorable moments. I can't say it better than she does at the end of that chapter:
"For some, the allure of champagne is the image of luxury and celebration; for others, it's one of life's greatest sensory delights. For me, it's the Champagne behind the champagne, a region as old as Roman conquests, as deep as the chalk fissures, as artful as the riddler's hands, and as eternal as the taste itself."
One can't evoke the meaning and joy of wine any better than this.
Education and Entertainment April 30, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book was absolutely the best resource I've read on wine. I use the word "resource" purposely because, while Ms. MacLean has a gift for storytelling, in the end, this book is quite enlightening and educational for folks like myself that are just beginning to appreciate good wine. I've been a wine drinker for 15 years, but couldn't ever keep my interest in any particular book or magazine. However, I couldn't put this book down. I highly recommend it. I have also very much enjoyed her free newsletters.
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