INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND A NEW YORK TIMES CRITICS’ PICK“Thrilling . . . [told] with gonzo élan . . . When the sommelier and blogger Madeline Puckette writes that this book is the Kitchen Confidential of the wine world, she’s not wrong, though Bill Buford’s Heat is probably a shade closer.” —Jennifer Senior, The New York Times Professional journalist and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker … Times
Professional journalist and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker didn’t know much about wine—until she discovered an alternate universe where taste reigns supreme, a world of elite sommeliers who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of flavor. Astounded by their fervor and seemingly superhuman sensory powers, she set out to uncover what drove their obsession, and whether she, too, could become a “cork dork.”
With boundless curiosity, humor, and a healthy dose of skepticism, Bosker takes the reader inside underground tasting groups, exclusive New York City restaurants, California mass-market wine factories, and even a neuroscientist’s fMRI machine as she attempts to answer the most nagging question of all: what’s the big deal about wine? What she learns will change the way you drink wine—and, perhaps, the way you live—forever.
“Think: Eat, Pray, Love meets Somm.” —theSkimm
“As informative as it is, well, intoxicating.” —Fortune
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I love wine and I’m always curious about the person pouring my wine, but I had NO idea what real sommeliers go through to become certified. And I had no idea this world even existed. It was fascinating and funny and I learned a ton about wine, the wine industry, and wine people. Great read – entertaining, well-written, and eye-opening. Bravo. Bianca Bosker goes to every extreme with solid research, thought-provoking asides, and a very readable story. Loved this book that not only challenged my assumptions about wine but opened my eyes (and nose) to the possibilities of every bottle. Nothing tastes the same now.
Thise boo was wonderful.I think i was a realy good book
A stunning amount of knowledge is required to become a sommelier, thwarting my ambitions for an encore career. 🙂
An interesting take on the wine world. Bianca finds a great balance by sharing information about the world of Sommeliers and the court exam, while also weaving a great story. I like the way she digs into the research past the wine, and recognizes that not every one has the time/money/desire to be a “wine connoisseur” (my words) but offers things the casual wine drinker can do to more fully enjoy wine.
Ever wonder how your restaurant sommelier became the expert in wine? I have just as author Bianca Bosker. Taking 18 months off as a journalist, the author explores the world of the “somms” with a keen eye for detail and a crafty delivery of wit. Her journey recounts the many tiers of knowledge these people strive to capture and the various methods they use to enhance that capability.
But that is just the tip of what we learn from her desire to become one of them. We all perceive wine differently- the marketing, the taste, the color, etc – so she recounts the research being done to record and analyze such things.
A terrific book! Does she finally reach her goal of sommelier? Read this book and see.
Informative
I bought this for my husband, He was greatly entertained. It was well written and full of great information about high priced wine and restaurants.
I liked this book so much I bought 3 more copies to give as gifts for our wine loving friends. There’s is so much information and yet it is entertaining and a pleasure to read. A very unique and clever approach to cover a subject that can be very technical and ( no pun ) dry.
The book was entertaining, and I enjoyed it. I learned a lot about Sommeliers and wine tasting. This had a little too many technical terms, and more information than I was really looking for though.
Absolutely fascinating. A journalist is intrigued by what makes sommeliers tick, so she quits her job and gives herself a mere year to infiltrate their ranks and pass the Certified exam (which she does). This is indeed an alien culture. Sommeliers are constantly in training, honing their senses, spending all their time and thousands of dollars on wines, coaches, competition fees, and traveling to competitions. The description of how she miserably failed the service portion of her first competition is laugh-out-loud funny. The ability to correctly identify an alcohol level (distinguishing between 13 & 14 %!), vintage, country, appellation, producer, and grape varietal on a blind tasting seems unreal. Well worth the read whether you like wine or not, even if just for the philosophical musings on wine and senses, observations of the ultra-rich customers, and finally, an understanding of why devoting your life to wine could even be a valid life choice.