When I first saw this book, I thought that I needed another wine book like a hole in the head. Surely, it has all been said: what more of interest could there be?

This book changed my mind. This is the book that would have saved me years, as a youngster weaning myself off a bitter only alcohol experience and trying to educate my palate to the mysteries of wine. Chris Orr ditches the highfalutin language and uses language to educate the reader, rather than prove his cleverness.

As I rapidly approach my three score years, I have learned much that was in this book, mostly, the hard way, by trial and error - with the emphasis on the latter! There was, however, enough that was new to me to keep me entertained throughout the book: I particularly enjoyed the 'real life what to drink with what'. It contains the only suggestion that I have ever seen, as to what to imbibe with baked beans!

The book is written with humour, but not at the expense of good sound advice. As well as a book that one may read from cover to cover, this is an excellent reference work and I shall keep it close to hand. ( )