The New Wine Rules

Matt Kramer, author and columnist for Wine Spectator, calls The New California Wine some of the most insightful wine writing you'll read anywhere, claiming it offers the real skinny on cutting-edge California wine. Hugh Johnson, the author of The World Atlas of Wine, agrees, finding Jon Bonne's clear-eyed perspective to offer a fresh look at a mature wine culture [that's] heading in surprising directions. Both recognize not only Bonne's expertise-according to Kramer, he's somebody who's on the ground, knows his stuff, and couldn't care less about offending the Establishment-but also how easily he distills that knowledge into what Johnson recognizes as essential, pithy lessons, such as these vinological maxims: (1) You'll never need to own more than two types of wine glasses. (2) Smell the cork. It really does tell you something. Smell the glass before you pour wine into it. (3) If you've heard of the Champagnes on the list, you're probably paying too much for them. Covering 101 topics on drinkin