The Billionaire's Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace
I picked this up on a whim, as I truly know next to nothing about wine. I just know what I like to drink (Helllooooo, Montelpucianos and Syrahs!). So I was a bit wary that this would be full of arcane terms and dry-as-dust proceedings.
Boy, was I *WRONG*! From the first page, the author caught my attention and had me hooked. It's a wonderful mix of wine (-making, history, culture, terms, fads, etc), history, people, legal proceedings, places, tastes, smells, and tactile sensations.
I really couldn't put this down - I neglected my knitting, my writing, and I was almost late to work (temp job) because I started reading over breakfast and didn't notice the time! So much for taking the bus. :) It occupied my thoughts when I wasn't reading it. I couldn't stop talking about it to the people around me at work, man I must have been annoying!
The pacing of this book is marvelous, starting with a slow excitement of an auction of a bottle of wine we know nothing about, and then growing with more and more information, twists, turns, discoveries, frauds, breakdowns, tastings, revelations, lawsuits, and so many lives interacting.
I say: Get this book!
Impressive blog! -Arron
Posted by: rc helicopter | December 21, 2011 at 02:56 AM