This basic guide for those who want to know just enough about wine to enjoy it shows how to deal with wine lists and waiters, how to get the best value when buying wine in a store, and how to decipher wine labels. The small format and easy-to-read style will help transform novices into pros who both understand and enjoy wine. 30 illustrations.

Through a series of quick takes, Markham shows you:How to deal with wine lists and waitersHow to get the best value when buying wine in a storeHow to decipher the ten standard items of information on every wine labelA simple method for judging the quality of any wineHow to store and serve wineHow wine is made and packagedWine Basics also uses easy-to-understand charts to illustrate the range of tastes in white and red wines and includes a comprehensive but user-friendly vocabulary to describe these tastes.

Why Drink Wine?. The Taste of White Wine. The Taste of Red Wine. The Smell of Wine. The Look of Wine. How Wine Is Made--The Basics. How Wine Is Made--The Manufacturer's Options. Pink, Sweet, and Bubbly. How Wine Is Packaged. The Wine Label. Vintage, and What It Means. How to Buy Wine in a Store. Storing Wine. Serving Wine. How to Buy Wine in a Restaurant. Wine and Food. Where Do You Go from Here?. Selected Bibliography. Appendices. Index.