3 Wine Books Every Wine Lover Should Own
Approximately 47,000 books have been written about wine.
Okay, I made that number up. But if you’ve ever wandered into the wine section of a bookstore, you know what I mean. Books about grapes, regions, tasting, history, and pairings abound. As someone who intends to author a food and wine book, I enjoy deep dives into this niche section of any tome to books. I am often being asked, which ones are actually worth owning?
As a sommelier, wine educator and lifelong student of wine, I’ve accumulated my fair share of wine books over the years. Some are wonderful for studying. Some are beautiful enough to leave on the coffee table. And some are the books I reach for when I want to actually understand something.
These are three I think belong on every wine lover’s bookshelf.
The World in a Wine Glass by Ray Isle
If you want to travel the world through wine without getting on a plane, start here.
Ray Isle’s The World in a Wine Glass is part wine guide, part travelogue and part love letter to the people who make the wine we drink. Isle takes readers around the world, introducing producers who are farming thoughtfully, making distinctive wines and, importantly, making wines that you can actually afford to drink.
And that last part matters.
One of my favorite things about this book is that it doesn’t fall into the trap of assuming that “great wine” automatically means “expensive wine.” Isle is interested in the people, the places and the decisions behind the bottle—not simply the price tag or the number of points attached to it.
That makes this a particularly useful book for anyone who wants to become a better wine buyer, not just someone who wants to memorize more wine facts.
It is also a very fun read. Ray has a knack for making wine people sound like actual human beings—which, I promise, is not always the case in wine writing.
Who should read it?
The curious wine drinker who wants to discover new producers, lesser-known regions and wines with a story behind them.
Why I love it:
It reminds you that wine is about much more than what is in the glass. It is farming, place, people, culture and a whole lot of personality.
And if you are the kind of person who gets bored reading a traditional wine reference book from cover to cover, this is your book.
The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil
If you only buy one serious wine reference book, make it The Wine Bible.
Karen MacNeil has somehow managed to write a book that can be used by someone who knows absolutely nothing about wine and someone who has been studying wine for years—and that is no small accomplishment.
The genius of The Wine Bible is that it doesn't read like homework.
MacNeil takes readers through the major wine regions, grapes, styles and traditions of the wine world while keeping the information approachable and, most importantly, useful.
This is the book I would recommend to someone who tells me, “I really want to learn about wine, but I don't know where to start.”
Start here.
You don't need to read it from beginning to end. In fact, please don't feel like you have to. Keep it nearby. Pick a region you're drinking. Look up a grape you've never tried. Read about a bottle before you open it. Then taste it and see if what you read matches what is actually in your glass.
That is how you learn wine.
And if you are studying for a wine certification, teaching a class or simply trying to make sense of why one bottle of Chardonnay costs $15 and another costs $75, this is an invaluable resource.
Who should read it?
Everyone from the wine-curious beginner to the serious wine student.
Why I love it:
It manages to be authoritative without being intimidating—and wine books should do more of that.
White Wine by Mike DeSimone & Jeff Jenssen
I am going to say something that should not be controversial but somehow still is:
White wine deserves more respect.
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen clearly agree.
Their White Wine: The Comprehensive Guide to the 50 Essential Varieties & Styles is exactly what it sounds like: a deep dive into the world of white wine, from familiar favorites like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling to grapes and styles you may not have encountered yet.
What makes this book particularly useful is its organization. Each chapter focuses on a grape or style and gives you the information you actually want to know: What does it taste like? Where does it come from? What should I eat with it? And, most importantly, what should I buy?
There are recommendations across a range of price points, too, which I appreciate. Because knowing that a particular wine is “excellent” is nice. Knowing that there is an excellent bottle for $18 is considerably more useful.
The book is also gorgeous, so it works equally well as a reference book and a coffee-table book.
And for anyone who thinks they “only drink Chardonnay,” I would strongly encourage you to pick this one up.
You have no idea how much trouble you are in.
Who should read it?
White wine lovers, aspiring wine nerds and anyone who wants to break out of their usual Sauvignon Blanc–Chardonnay–Pinot Grigio rotation.
Why I love it:
It makes exploring white wine feel like an adventure rather than an assignment.
Wine is one of those subjects you can study for decades and still have something new to learn. There will always be another grape, another region, another producer, another vintage—and another bottle that makes you stop and say, “Wait…why have I never tasted this before?”
That is the fun part.
So pour yourself a glass, pick a book and start exploring.
Cheers!