Yesterday, the first of my two new books officially became available. You can now have Wine Taster’s Journal: Drink, Rate, Record, and Remember shipped right on over to you, no waiting!
Technically, this is the second of my two new books, as it’s the companion piece to the much longer Wine Taster’s Guide: Drink and Learn with 30 Wine Tastings. I’ve no idea why the Journal was released before the Guide, though certainly it can stand on its own and doesn’t require the Guide to be a useful tool itself; but I’m not a book publisher, so I’m going to just shut up about it now and trust the people who know a lot more about it than I do.
Additionally, I’ll be popping the corks on something nice to celebrate the fact that during pre-orders both the Journal and the Guide have, at various points, hit the #1 and #2 slots for Amazon’s Hot New Releases in the Wine Tasting category.
We’re #1! And #2!
Pretty sweet!
If you grab a copy, my publisher and I (but mostly my publisher) would love to have you write a review of the book on Amazon (excellent chance to heckle me there)…
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Shiz just got very real, folks!
My new book, Wine Taster’s Guide: Drink and Learn with 30 Wine Tastings, is now officially available for pre-order ($14.99 for the paperback)! Shipping and whatnot begins on July 21, 2020.
The Guide is the main course meal to the Wine Taster’s Journal starter (the handy, portable companion which gets released on July 7, 2020). I’m pretty stoked, and for some time will likely insist that people address me as “Published Author Joe Roberts,” at least until I calm down (it could be a while).
FWIW, I really dig the cover design and how both books’ designs compliment one another (not to mention how well they capture the incredible, thirst-inducing shades of the wines). I, of course, had nothing directly to do with any of that.
Anyway… there is so much that I want to tell you about the inception and creation of this book… and I will be getting to that soon in a follow-up post or two here on 1WD. For now, I’ll share the PR-styling intro that Rockridge Press put together for the release…
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I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!
- 2018 Pico Maccario Lavignone Rosato (Piedmont): Like a Disney princess – both pretty and bold. $18 B+
- 2016 Rocca delle Macie Ser Gioveto Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany): Big, burly, but ultimately true. $35 A-
- 2016 Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Regaleali Lamuri Nero d’Avola (Sicilly): Everything here is completely delicious apart from the glass and label. $20 B+
- 2014 Bodega Tapiz Black Tears Malbec (Uco Valley): Fruuuuuiiiiittyyyyyyyy AF!!!!! $60 A-
- 2016 Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley): Like ’em woody but tasty? Well, here you go, then. $58 A-
- 2018 Siduri Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Sonoma County): It’s wild berry time, children! $35 A-
- 2017 Dutton-Goldfield Walker Hill Chardonnay (Russian River Valley): As close to being magically transported to Montrachet as you’re likely to get any time soon. $50 A
- 2019 Pisoni Vineyards Lucy Pinot Noir Rose (Santa Lucia Highlands): Good juice, good cause; big heart, big wine. $19 B+
- 2018 Locanda Becjstoffer Carneros Lake Vineyard Chardonnay (Napa Valley): Plush divan, adorned with lemons, peaches and cream. $NA A-
- 2018 Brooks Riesling (Willamette Valley): Lime love letter, sealed with flint. $24 B+
The latest in the steady stream of sipping during SIP virtual tastings brings up back to longtime friend of 1WD Stu Smith, one of the masterminds behind Napa Valley’s well-regarded Smith-Madrone.
If you’ve spent any appreciable time perusing this little website, then you know that Smith is smart, verbose, and opinionated – all of which are a wine writer’s wet dream (ok, that came out totally wrong, but you get the idea), and all of which were on typically intriguing display when I (and a handful of fellow wine-media-critic-types) recently tasted through some of the recent Smith-Madrone releases with Stu via Zoom meeting.
Speaking of intriguing, that’s a fitting descriptor for Smith’s wines in general…
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I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!
- 2018 Vintage Longbottom H Sauvignon Blanc (Adelaide Hills): This is basically 99.999% pure delight. $40 A-
- NV Le Grand Courtage Grande Cuvee Brut Rose (France): Fans of warmer weather and chilled beverages, rejoice! $21 B+
- 2019 Domaine de Cala Coteaux Varois en Provence Rose (Provence): The berries here – just like your thirst that it’s about to quench – are fresh and wild. $19 B+
- 2017 Bell Colle ‘Nuwanda’ (Barbera d’Asti Superiore): When Barbera decided to do big weight squats with the big boys. $29 B+
- 2014 King Family Vineyards Loreley Petit Manseng Dessert Wine (Monticello): If tree fruits were an affectionate puppy, giving non-stop fruity sweet kisses. $29 B+
- 2014 Jason-Stephens Winery Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Clara Valley): The world needs more guilty pleasures like this right now. $28 B+
- 2018 Siduri Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County): Bold, but balanced, though not afraid to show off that fact from time to time. $30 A-
- 2019 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Shop Block Pinot Blanc (Green Valley): This isn’t from Alsace? The real deal, folks, and their best one yet. $30 A-
- 2016 Locanda Remus (Sonoma Valley): Enormous, and also enormously enjoyable. $95 A-
- 2016 Locanda Romulus (Sonoma Valley): Dark meat, dark cherries, dark chocolate, and darkly enticing. $95 A-
