Behind the Cork™ - Book Review: Stikky Wine

Stikky Wine ($12)

Looking for a good, beginner’s-level, easy to read book to learn about wine? Stikky Wine is a great place to start.

The book does not rely on taking notes or memorization. It clearly states “Read the three sections…stop after each section and practice in the real world…promise yourself that you will try to answer each question in the text. Keep these promises, and what you learn will stick.” Hence the name, Stikky Wine.

The sections are a quick-read with information on how wine is made, grape types, easily identifiable aromas and flavor and common red and white wines. No technical jargon, just simple, easy to understand facts about wines. And, some quick checks along the way to check your understanding.

Stikky Wine is a breeze to read and brings together the essential wine knowledge in straightforward, easy-to-grasp language, all enhanced by beautiful illustrations. It’s a fantastic guide for anyone new to the world of wine. Cheers!

Stikky Wine is available on-line, visit https://stikky.com/collections/books. Provided by Book Publicity Services Inc.

Behind the Cork™ - Book Review: Find Your Wine Identity by Sandra Guibord

Find Your Wine Identity by Sandra Guibord ($26)

For a change of pace here on Behind the Cork™ let’s take a look at an interesting book on wines.

Sandra Guibord’s Find Your Wine Identity is an easy read that takes you through the seasons of the year and encourages you to explore new and different wines “…to break out of your ‘wine rut'.”

Find Your Wine Identity offers suggestions on how to turn your year-round entertaining into memorable events. With Sandra's natural, engaging style, she leads beginners and wine connoisseurs through the seasons, sharing ideal wine choices, tasty recipes for perfect wine-pairing, and notable tips to make every event truly special. She also includes wine histories for great party conversation. With carefully selected information presented in a casual, fun format, this book will help readers find a wonderful wine life of their own!

If you are looking for a good book to help learn about wines, or are looking for a holiday gift for a wine-lover, Sandra Guibord’s Find Your Wine Identity is a good choice. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Catena Malbec

2019 Catena Malbec ($15)

World Malbec Day is coming up on Sunday, April 17th, an annual holiday that commemorates the founding of the first agricultural school in Argentina in 1853, which was instrumental in the early cultivation of Malbec in the South American nation. And, here’s a great way to celebrate!

This celebration features the 2019 Catena Malbec and a great book all about Malbec.

The wine is from high-altitude vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina in the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

The book ($24.49 on Amazon) is fun and informative. It is written by Laura Catena and Bodega Catena's oenologist Alejandro Vigil. It tells the story of Malbec, its near extinction, rebirth and in a joyful end, the story of how a plant has elevated the lives of millions of people for over 2,000 years.

This Catena Malbec is produced from 100% Malbec that goes through cold maceration for five days to and then is fermented with wild yeast for 12 days with a post-fermentation maceration of 19-22 days. It then spends 12 months in barrels that are of first, second and third use.

This wine is medium purple in color with aroma of black berry, black cherry, spice and cocoa. On the palate it has nice fruit flavors, medium tannin and medium acidity along with the characteristic easy finish of a Malbec.

At $15 this is a wonderful wine that is fully deserving of being a Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Look for this one and raise a glass for World Malbec Day on April 17th. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Catena winery (via Nonni Strategic Marketing)

Book Review - Professional Drinking by Jim Schleckser

I’ve got a bunch of wine books. They are all reference-type books that I keep on-hand when I need to look up something. But, Professional Drinking by Jim Schleckser is different.

The book states that it is “A spirited Guide to Wine, Cocktails, and Confident Business Entertaining” and seeks to provide you with the information you need to avoid being “reduced to a quivering mess of jelly when handed the wine list at a fine restaurant” when dining with the boss, a client or simply good friends.

The material in the book is presented in a series of brief, easy to read chapters. And, I appreciated that a majority of the book is focused on wine.

Section Three is “Wine Time” and includes several brief reads explaining everything from The Basics of Grapes to Wine Making but then goes on explain “The Difference Between a $10 and $100 Bottle of Wine” as well as “The Wine Business at a Restaurant.” Then, Section Four is entirely focused on Ordering on Your Own In A Restaurant.

Professional Drinking is loaded with easy to understand information. My favorite was finding each of the more than 50 “Pro Tips” that are scattered throughout the book.

If you’re looking for a good easy-read to become more knowledgeable about wines and cocktails and how you can be confident in a professional or social setting, Profession Drinking is for you. Cheers!

Disclosure: I received this book at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Book Provided by Jim Schleckser who is a Certified Sommelier, holds an Advanced Certification from WSET and is a business person with 30 years of professional drinking experience.  He helps professionals navigate wine, while keeping it fun.