Is it necessary to pay a tremendous amount of money to get a great-tasting red Bordeaux wine? What foods best compliment a fine Chardonney? When is champagne ready to drink? How do you choose a good California wine? Universally praised by wine experts and novices alike, this unbeatable "course" will answer all your questions and help you to become a wine connoisseur. Kevin Zraly makes the study of wine as pleasurable as drinking a fine vintage. In a completely fresh approach to the subject, Zraly offers a look at the trends in wine over the last 10 years. He takes you on a country-by-country, region-by-region, "best-buy" ratings tour of the latest vintages. You'll love his light-hearted style, and you'll appreciate his glossary of wine terms, his award-winning restaurant wine lists, and his helpful and informative tips on stocking and serving wine at home, ordering it in restaurants (including the hows and whys of the tasting ritual), and much more. Elegent two-color printing and dozens of illustrations, ranging from labels you should know to memorable New Yorker cartoons, complement the Zraly style. Whether you prefer a vintage that's bright, earthy, mature, rich, light, or seductive, take a uniquely intoxicating trek through the world of wine that will turn you into an enthusiastic expert in no time!