May 16, 2008
Hugh Johnson’s, World Atlas of Wine is a famous reference book used by thousands of wine professionals and wine lovers. The same author has written many other wine related books as well as on gardening.
This reviewer has read most of his wine books, yet his latest – Wine: A life uncorked is the best and most enjoyable yet.
The title encapsulates a 40-year career in wine, written by a master of prose and English in an inimitable style. Once you start reading it, you feel compelled to read yet another paragraph, then pages, followed by a chapter, much like a nice bottle of wine – the first sip invites the second, the first glass the second, and the first bottle the second. Hugh Johnson knows more about wine than many writers, and enjoys it so much that the subject becomes infectious. His style of writing honed by editing magazines and Cambridge English degree is polished, insightful, and invites the reader to continue reading page after page.
In this extraordinary book all continents are covered, but the most detailed parts involve Europe, particularly Bordeaux, France. He was on the board of directors of Chateau Latour for a number of years and feels an ancestral bond to the region. Bordeaux was under English rule for a few centuries. English have always liked Bordeaux wines (a.k.a claret in the United Kingdom) and to this day drink a good portion of the output.
The book covers sparkling wines to start, then whites, followed by reds, and ends with sweets, which Johnson calls “stickies”.
He likes well made, multidimensional, elegant and refined sweet wines so much that he with his friends and local participants purchased a winery in Tokaji, Hungary. Delicious, delectable, and harmonious Royal Tokaji wines are marketed all over the world, including Canada and Japan, where Hugh Johnson enjoys a lot of respect and popularity due to his TV series.
You want to know what English call a “punt” turn to page 417, or how old Madeira wines were fortified (page 411). The information is rare, interesting, and relevant to all who enjoy wine. “Perfect wine needs no explanation, however exotic it may be. The rules are the same; it smells inviting, invigorates your mouth as it comes in, expands in new dimensions as you hold it on your tongue and lingers sweetly after you swallow” is the definition of well-made, worth-to-drink wine in one sentence.
Hugh Johnson has traveled the world and must have kept meticulous notes on all the places the visited and all the wines he tasted since his book covers most of his adventures only an enthusiastic writer of his caliber can accomplish. I think “Wine: A life uncorked”, is Hugh Johnson’s best yet, and worth reading not once, but several times. It is so interesting and informative, that it should be kept as a reference for many years to come
Now he consults and writes to increase wine, beer and liquor awareness. He conducts seminars and would be pleased to consider your requests. To peruse the list of his published books and order please contact him at hirayrberberoglu_3@sympatico.ca
www.littlefatwino.com