Paper Palate

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve never been much of a wine drinker. I am more the hard liquor or beer kind of gal, but I am interested in wine and would love to develop a palate for it. After all, how could so many people be so wrong about it?

Frankly, I am confused by blushes, roses, and zinfandels. I am uncertain of whites and barely comfortable with reds…and forget about dessert wines and fruit varietals. If anyone needs a little help with this, it’s me. And I am guessing that I am not the only one out there who needs some guidance in the wine arena.

This week Hump Day Horizons is exploring the world of new wine guides, in particular those that will help you choose the right bottle to go with your meal – whatever it might be. So check out the upcoming titles below…you never know what you might find here.

What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America’s Best Sommeliers
by Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page – Bulfinch/$35.00

What really attracts me to this particular book is that it’s not just about wines, but about all drinks and how to pair them and how to know what to have on hand. Seems like a practical way to address it, since as much as some people would like it - you can’t drink wine with every meal.

According to the description, the advice comes in 368 pages from more than 70 of the leading pairing experts.

You’ll find authoritative recommendations for stocking your cellar and kitchen with must-have beverages, from wines to waters. You’ll also learn what to drink with everything from French toast to Chinese food, and what to eat with everything from Pinot Noir to green tea, to create mouthwatering matches. Follow the authors’ three simple “Rules to Remember” when making a match - or just dive into the wide-ranging listings in chapters 5 and 6.

This book is due out in October.

Hedonist in the Cellar: Adventures in Wine
by Jay McInerney – Knopf/$24.00

Am I the only one who read Bright Lights, Big City in like two days and loved every minute of it? I sure hope not. It was a worthwhile book. Anyway, the author who brought us that book, Jay McInerney, is now publishing a collection of his wine-related columns from Home & Garden.

In A Hedonist in the Cellar, he gathers more than five years’ worth of essays and continues his exploration of what’s new, what’s enduring, and what’s surprising, giving his palate a complete workout and the reader an indispensable, idiosyncratic guide to a world of almost infinite variety.

This book is due out in October.

Women of the Vine
by Deborah Brenner - Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated/$22.95

Okay, yes, it was the title that drew me in. And yes, that is never a good reason to buy a book. If it was, countless pointless flops would have had far better sales records. But in defense of my final selection for this week, this book legitimately sounds worthwhile. Women are the largest consumers of wine and this book is all about exposing us to the many women involved in the whole wine process from vine to table.

And besides, it also talks about pairing. Oh, and another interesting aspect is it’s discussion of what placement in the store means about the wine. A little education for us novices . . .

This book is due out in November.