Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine: 108 Ingenious Shortcuts to Navigate the World of Wine with Confidence and Style

I finally found the wine book I was looking for! I previously read a couple to wine books to educate myself but they were either too complicated or packed with information I really did not need. Oldman's book is so well written, easy to read and understand. It is full of practical knowledge and organized into 108 short chapters. Each of the 350 pages is packed with useful information, and the material is arranged in an eye-catching manner. It is an entertaining read. It offers reference books and web sites for those who wish to learn more about a suject. It discusses basic grapes, regions, different types of wine, cost, pronunciations, how to pair wine with specific foods or occasions etc. This book clarified so many misconceptions and answered some of my questions in a clear way. For example: "Just say no to cork inhalation" is a memorable line that gets the message across. Another example is when Oldman describes the smell of blackcurrant and Cabernets. This book is perfect for novices who will not be ovewhelmed with useless facts. Even for someone like me who is somewhat knowledgeable about wines, this was the perfect book. I wish I read this years ago!

I own at least a dozen wine books and this one is my pick for best book to start one's wine library. Even if you know a good amount about wine like me (I've worked in the industry) you'll find plenty of gems in Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wine, making it well worth the purchase. Where else can you get the wine picks of many industry insiders? The shortcuts are succinct enough to avoid overburdening you with an unnecessary level of detail and yet thorough enough that you'll be able to enter a conversation on the topic with self-confidence. This book contains the best wine and cheese pairing advice I've come across--it was informative and hilarious. The author advises that "when things get stinky... call in the big guns", then helpfully provides a list of cheeses that go with pretty much everything. Another of my favorite shortcuts told how to tell if a restaurant is on your side when it comes to wine. Using the tips that follow, you'll be able to save the money spent on this book, and then some, on your next restaurant wine choice. Not only that, if the wine steward sneers at you, you'll be able to confidently sneer back and order with style. I gave this book as a gift to my boss, colleagues, and friends alike-it's the perfect accompaniment to a bottle of good wine.

A fast and informative book. It doesn't waste your time and gives you the lay of the land from the moment you pick it up. I couldn't even do this book justice if I called it the Cliff Notes of the world of wine. It's so much better than that. If you're new to wine like we all are at some point, this book will give you a running start. If wine has been a long time friend, this book will sum up most of those thoughts you've already had and might even teach a you new thing or two about something you already thought you knew so well. It's the only wine book I own, and it's the only one I think I'll ever need.

Good intro book. After looking at a lot of reviews I decided that this would be a good book to start with, and I think I made a good choice. Wealth of information, but not overwhelming. Reader friendly (informal) for those wanting to learn a bit (or a lot) about wines.. Not a book you have to read from beginning to end, as you could find the pertinent chapter(s) and read about the wine type you are interested in. Like the short chapters. Living in a rural area, the selections at the local stores are very limited, but am able to find some of the domestic offerings mentioned in the book.

I bought this book a few years ago, when I started getting serious about wine tasting. Very informative and accessible. I never felt intimidated, which can happen when you're first starting out. I like how you can just pick up a chapter and then put it down, without feeling lost the next time you read it. It's starts with the basics of appreciating wine, then goes into the major grapes, then regions and alternatives to lesser known (but up-coming) great wine alternatives. I've lent out my copy to a few friends and they have now bought the book for themselves. Although I know a lot more about wine now, it's still a great go-to book. I really recommend this book to anyone who is just starting to become interested in wine.

I know this book has a little age on it. Mark is...well, unique. He has a personality that I enjoy, but may turn others off. But for me being new to the wine game, he makes me feel confident in trying new wines, talking about wines and pairing them in ways I could never think of....on the cheap no less. He takes you though all the types, where they are made, the who's what's and why's of wine making in an easy to read, stop and resume format so you can either sit and read three pages or thirty pages as you wish without any disconnect. Check out his videos called "Drinking Bravely with Mark Oldman" and see his enthusiasm about what he does. I have a few books from this guy and would recommend any literature this guy releases.

I bought this book, blew through it, and bought another copy for a vineyard tasting room I manage. Outsmarting Wine is the best way I can imagine training young staff in how to talk and think wine. Instead of hitting them with online guides with suspect and patchwork information, I would recommend getting a copy of this for yourself or staff to learn wine quickly. The level is perfect in that it gives you the basics with added extras for making connections across regions, winemaking styles, and grape varieties. Best of all, the content is a great help when talking to more wine savvy customers, and the philosophy/style is a great lesson in speaking to customers hungry to learn.

I am a huge fan of this book. It's arranged in an easy to understand manner, and is dense with great information. While it covers the grapes, and wine regions, what I liked most were the chapters that made suggestions for trying less popular but equally delicious wines. The cheat sheet aspect was fantastic, and I look forward to reading more from Mr. Oldman in the years to come.