If you live where there is a regular accumulation of snow, then this winter has been a long one. And if you’ve been a little reluctant to go out right now, and just finished bingeing SuperPumped, The Dropout, or S2 of Bridgerton, here’s a way to unplug, and decompress. And apart from just drinking wine, which is always nice, reading about it can be just as interesting (without the buzz).

Below are two books that helped me get through many a long winter’s journey into night.

Packed with lots of info, and so well-written, they’re like taking a comprehensive, self-directed wine course without the hefty fee and stress-inducing exam at the end.

Check out the video below for a little taste of what you’ll find!

Wine Folly: Magnum Edition by Madeline Puckette & Justin Hammack

From the #1 ranked wine education site winefolly.com, Wine Folly: Magnum Edition is a culmination of many viewpoints: from wine writers and educators, to wine professionals and scientists.

Madeline Puckette is a wine sommelier, writer and visual designer. Justin Hammack is an entrepreneur, digital strategist and web developer.

This book takes you on a journey through the basics and beyond; how wine is made, facts about drinking wine (and how to avoid that pesky headache), a funny section on wine etiquette, and how to smell wine (to actually detect faults, not just to look fancy). It lays everything out with super cool graphics, and easy to digest descriptions that make learning easy if you’re new to wine, and a great review if you’re an old pro.

Wine Simple by Aldo Sohm w/ Christine Muhlke

Sohm was named 2008 Best Sommelier in the World by the Worldwide Sommelier Association and namesake of the Aldo Sohm Wine Bar in New York City. Christine Muhlke is former food editor of the New York Times Magazine, and contributing editor at Bon Appêtit magazine.

Wine Simple also has great depth of information, fun graphics, and cool side bars. An added feature: the main points of each section are highlighted for you, saving you time (and highlighter).

Check out the ‘Wine With Bad Raps” section for a good rundown on pre-conceived wine reputations that might make you go “hmmmm…”. It may have you completely reconsidering your next wine purchase.

There’s also an honest view about boxed, bagged and canned wines (spoiler: they’re not all that bad).

Both books examine wine regions, flavor profiles, practical magic of storing and serving, and much more.

Each have excellent chapters about food and wine pairing, which can be daunting at the best of times. And each have fun graphics, charts and practical info about cooking with wine. Wine Folly has a little pairing exercise that involves potato chips, cheese, honey and a pickle. I am SO going to try this in an upcoming post!

Both books are excellent and make learning accessible, enjoyable, and will have you understanding, pairing and enjoying wine like a pro in no time!

If you read either (or both) let me know what you think in the comments! 👇

Have a safe and happy Easter weekend!🐰💜

Cheers!🍷

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