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| The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition | 
 enlarge | Creator: Jancis Robinson
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $65.00
Buy New: $38.90
You Save: $26.10 (40%)
New (39) Used (12) from $31.12
Avg. Customer Rating:  54 reviews
Sales Rank: 11742
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 3rd
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 840
Shipping Weight (lbs): 6.4
Dimensions (in): 11.1 x 9.1 x 2
ISBN: 0198609906
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.22
EAN: 9780198609902
ASIN: 0198609906
Publication Date: October 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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| Customer Reviews:
Thank Goodness for This Book March 31, 2006
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
I use the Oxford Companion constantly! Wine terms and references can be a bit confusing at times and that's where this book comes in. This book is organized in alphabetical order so if you see a wine related term or word that needs some splain' just refer to The Oxford Companion to Wine.
I don't recommend this book for the wine novice because it can be intimidating. It is essentially an encylopedia/dictionary and over 2000 pages and as heavy as a half a sack of bricks. I think that if you gave this book to a beginner it would be overwhelming and might dampen their interest and we don't want that to happen. I use this book as companion to the wine text book I am using at the moment. I sit down and read my assigned text and then follow up by refering to the Oxford Companion. I can't tell you how many times the light bulb has gone off after reading the Companion.
The book reveals info on grape types. winemaking techniques and terms, wine regions, vine training methods, oak barrels, wine pioneers,wine producers, maps,photos and illustrations. Even though it is jammed packed with wine info I don't find it to be stuffy. I find that Ms.Robinson's (editor) personality comes through.
Over the years I have purchased a second copy because I take pages out of one so that I can carry a few pages with me on topics that I know I will encounter during the day (I work in the wine industry). Yes there is also the abridged version of the Oxford Companion but I prefer the original.
While this is not a cover to cover read (which I have attempted)I think you will find it to be a welcome edition to your wine library and an excellent reference tool.
 Refer back to it often February 28, 2006
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
If you're into wine, or into learning about it, then this book does well to supplement another perhaps smaller, more specialized book. It doesn't necessarily deal at length with nuances of individual grapes, or how to develop a thorough tasting method. It's very useful when you come across a wine term you won't find in Webster's or want to know what the deal is with grafting, etc. I don't give it a 5 because I think, considering it's namesake and already generous size, they could have gone into more detail on some of the world's lesser-known but up-and-coming varietals at the expense of a few dozen more pages. But still a very good book to have if you want to fill your mind, or just like reading encyclopedias cover to cover.
Superb and Ambitious June 1, 2005
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
This book is a superb no-nonsense overview of wine from around the world, and is certainly more of an encyclopedia than any of the other "wine encyclopedias" of which I am aware. Topics covered include the known science and chemistry of wine, global geographic distribution of varietals including details of wine growing regions that may not be as widely known to many readers, several thousand types of wine, and the history of wine growing regions. In my opinion this book is unparalleled as of yet. These comments are for the first edition of the book, however I suspect the second edition is even better.
Big and Good January 13, 2003
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
This encyclopedia is extensive and very good. It is also very heavy. You may want to get a primer on wine (e.g., "Wine for Dummies") before getting this as a reference, but this is one for your shelves. It covers many aspects of wine and to a great deal of detail in some areas, which is welcomed. Almost all of the information is current. What little is not current is insignificant in size and importance. Take at a good look at this reference.
full of info August 2, 2002
4 out of 16 found this review helpful
Tells me more about wine than I really need to know, but it's nice to have it handy.
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