QUENCHING THE THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE

Sunny Hodge’s A Cynic’s Guide to Wine is just one of many many wonderful books published by Academie du Vin Library that debunk the myths that tend to flow so freely in the wine world.

Here are the ones gracing my bedside table of late - yes, admittedly, I am a tad obsessed - but these books are not just for those of us totally lost down the rabbit hole. If you are going on holiday to Spain or France, to Brazil, California or Tuscany then these books are great guides to what to drink and where to go.

The Wines of Brazil by Tufi Neder Meyer is a real eye opener. Who knew Brazil has over 80,000 hectares of vines and produces as much wine as New Zealand or Greece? This book takes you through the country’s 500 plus years of wine making history, introducing you to their grapes, their styles and their producers. Not only will it make you want to sample these delicious sweet, sparkling and still expressions but no doubt it will make you yearn to visit the county too.

In the same series is The Wines of California by Elaine Chukan Brown which is, in my opinion, the ultimate guide, the bible to one of the best known and most loved wine regions of the world. This is not just a book about wine but about history, politics, geography, culture. It reads more like a page turning novel than a textbook. It is essential.

Similarly, The Wines of Central and Southern Spain;from Catalunya to Cadiz by Sarah Jane Evans MW, one of the most highly regarded wine experts in the world is the absolute ultimate guide to the grapes, regions, winemaking trends and producers in this particular area of Spain. It is a follow up and companion to the critically acclaimed The Wines of Northern Spain by the same author.

Any wine lover will count the Cote D’Or as one of their favourite regions and this second edition of the eponymous book by Raymond Blake covers all the masterpieces you would expect; Gevrey Chambertin, Puligny Montrachet and Nuits Saints-George to name but a few mouth watering delights. This book is as much about the backstory to the wimes as it is about the wines themselves as the latter could not have existed without the former. It is a story that will make you enjoy every sip of Burgundy even more than you ever have before.

One thing I never fail to pack in my suitcase is one of The Smart Travellers Wine Guides and the latest, by Paul Caputo, just happens to be on one of my favourite ever

wine regions; Tuscany. This guide, like the others in the series (which include Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Rioja and Rhone Valley) are really your ultimate companions on any trip. Crammed full of information on the region, the wines, the producers and much more besides, they ensure you never miss out on the very best the area has to offer.

Last but not least is something a little bit different. Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate by Alex Maltman is a book written by a geologist who examines what rocks do for wine. We all speak about how we can literally taste and smell chalk or clay in our glass - but is this merely a romantic far flung fantasy - or is there more to it? This book explains the truth. And in a way that is not just easy to follow (we are not blinded with incomprehensible science) but also utterly fascinating.

All of these books are available through https:// academieduvinlibrary.com/

And City Solicitor readers are eligible for a 10% discount on any purchase by using the code CITY 10