Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
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Retail EDUCATION 8 Beverage Dynamics • November/December 2014 www.beveragedynamics.com BY HARRIET LEMBECK, CWE, CSS NEW REFERENCE BOOKS can in- crease your knowledge and helpfulness to your customers. With these on your shelf, you will be ready to answer questions re- garding important wine countries in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Wines of South America The Essential Guide Evan Goldstein, University of California Press, $39.95, 302 pages, hard cover With increasing imports from Chile and Argentina, and Brazil and Uruguay not far behind, be prepared for this vinous infl ux. Goldstein, a Master Sommelier, gives you the history, grape varieties, and studies of the 10 S. American countries that make up that continent, with specifi c wineries and wines, as well as travel info when you are inspired to visit on your own, which you surely will be! Wine Atlas of Germany Dieter Braatz, Ulrich Sauter, Ingo Swoboda, University of California Press, $60, 302 pages, hard cover, Foreword by Jancis Robinson Here is the most comprehensive listing and topographical representation of German vineyards available today. Every one of the 2,658 vineyards in Germany is here, clas- sifi ed according to four quality standards: Exceptional, Superior, Good, and Vineyard without special distinction. This Atlas also includes the most recent classifi cations that attempt to recognize excellent dry wines as well as sweet wines from the best parcels. Nothing ambiguous here. Native Wine Grapes of Italy Ian D'Agata, University of California Press, $50, 620 pages, hard cover Here is a scholarly study, where you will fi nd whatever native grape you are look- ing for, in depth. You can't even skip over the Preface, and reading 'How to Use This Book' is a must. It illustrates the care, de- tail and effort that author D'Agata has put forward, describing each grape, its origins, color, fl avor and cultivation. In my fi rst fi ve minutes with this book, I learned that there is a difference between an 'Ampelology' and the more common, but often incorrectly used 'Ampelography.' There are even two indexes here, a general one, and a separate 10-page index just for grapes. You will be turning to this book more often that you think. Barolo and Barbaresco The King and Queen of Italian Wine Kerin O'Keefe, University of California Press, $39.95, 346 pages, hard cover This book is a good read, with an in-depth look at the Langhe region, its geology, cli- mate and history, along with cultivation of the Nebbiolo grape. Barolo and Barbaresco, lying on either side of the city of Alba, had suffered from confl icts in styles, use of oak and its size, age and source, and eventually arrived at coexistence of acceptable styles. Expansion of subzones is also discussed, as well as profi les of individual producers. Read this book before you visit those regions. Tasting Whiskey An Insider's Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World's Finest Spirits Lew Bryson, Storey Publishing, $18.95, 256 pages, soft cover and e-book, Foreword by David Wondrich Lew Bryson, man- aging editor and fea- ture writer for Whisky Advocate, has written 15 chapters of practical information, from describing whiskey production, aging, tast- ing, and whiskey styles. There are specifi c chapters on Scotch, Irish, American, Cana- dian and Japanese whiskies, as well as food pairings for each of the styles, and even a guide for a whiskey dinner. Collectors and afi cionados are guided to the most collectable brands. Craft distilling, and recent controversies surrounding the term, is also sensibly discussed. Illustrations in color enliven the text. Reclamation Etchworks 'Upcycled' Decanters Local bar professionals salvage beautiful spirits bottles and deliver them to Reclama- tion Etchworks, where they are engraved after being scraped and sanitized. Laser en- graving produces the name of a spirit type, and the cork-fi nished decanters may be per- sonalized on the back. The Variance Set uses differently shaped bottles, $199 for a set of 4. The Constance Decanter is a single cylindrical shape, en- graved with different spirit names, $99, set of 4, or $39 single bottles. For more informa- tion visit www.ReclamationEtchworks.com. HARRIET LEMBECK, CWE*, CSS** hlembeck@mindspring.com is a prominent wine and spirits educator. She is president of the re- nowned Wine & Spirits Program, and revised and updated the textbook Grossman's Guide to Wines, Beers and Spirits. She was the Director of the Wine Department for The New School University for 18 years. (*Certifi ed Wine Educator, **Certifi ed Specialist of Spirits) HOLIDAY BOOKS TO KEEP FOR THE WHOLE YEAR f Chil d l k