Books in brief
Ah, wine books. Tricksy, aren’t they? Decanter kindly asked me to write a piece for them, rounding up some of the best recent wine-focused releases that are actually worth buying. You can now read it on their site here (for free!). It was joyous to put this together, and I’m delighted that I’m taking on a regular slot looking at books for them from January 2025, so keep your eyes peeled for more book coverage from me.
A few additional books didn’t make it into the feature: some I hope to write more on (looking at you Natural Wine, No Drama and Corker), but here are some quick notes on a couple of those that didn’t make the cut for the feature:
New British Wine by Abbie Moulton: This is a gorgeous coffee table book by Abbie Moulton, a freelance journalist who covers both wine and spirits. It’s interesting she opted for the term “British” (or perhaps that her publisher did), given its legal definition as wines that can be made with imported juice or must, often of the lowest quality – but perhaps it’s time the term was reclaimed, and England embraced its Welsh, Irish and even Scottish vigneron siblings. Moulton shines a light on the artisan wines – those she describes as “radical, curious, creative and supremely delicious”. This isn’t really a book that will teach you about English wine, but it offers a collection of profiles of key players in the world of “British” wine, both the people making it, as well as those championing and selling it. It would be easy for this to be London-centric, but it is – joyously – not. The geek in me what’s the nerdy details, but this links wine and food in a soft, accessible way that feels destined to entice less wine-obsessed readers into the vinous world
Alternative Reality by Max Allen: I’d heard about this book, but didn’t realise until my copy arrived that it is a tale of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show, from the birth of the concept over a pivotal lunch in 1999 through its launch in 2001 to the current day. This tale is intersected with profiles of key figures in the movement, those who’ve pushed for Australia to make more than Cab, Shiraz and Chardonnay. It’s a niche and geeky book, but lets you join Allen on the journey of this collective movement, packed with Aussie charm. That said, the producers and wines featured are medal-winners, those who have payed to enter the competition, meaning it is a self-selected list – one that had some notable absences (Luke Lambert for Nebbiolo, for example, or Sorrenberg for Gamay). For those especially interested in Australian wine, this is worth a look, but I can’t imagine its appeal will be particularly broad – which is a shame as the concept and writing are great.
