8Announcing the completely revised and updated edition of The Wine Bible, the perennial bestseller with over 550,000 copies in print, and praised as " The most informative and entertaining book I ve ever seen on the subject " (Danny Meyer), " A guide that has all the answers " (Bobby Flay), and, simply, " Astounding " (Thomas Keller). A lively course from an expert teacher, The Wine Bible grounds the reader deeply in the fundamentals while layering on informative asides, tips, amusing anecdotes, definitions, glossaries, photos (all new for this edition), maps, labels, and recommended bottles. Karen MacNeil s information comes directly through primary research; for this second edition she has tasted more than 10,000 wines and visited dozens of wine regions around the world. New to the book are wines of China, Japan, Mexico, and Slovenia. And through it all the reader becomes ever more informed: How to taste with focus and build a wine-tasting memory. Understand the subtle interplay of variety, vineyard, and vintner. What makes a great wine great? How oak affects flavor. The reason behind Champagne s bubbles. And, because of the author s unique voice, always entertained: In great years Petrus is ravishing, elegant, and rich Ingrid Bergman in red satin. Or, describing a Riesling: A laser beam. A sheet of ice. A great crackling bolt of lightning. Since the original publication of The Wine Bible, Karen MacNeil s authority and insight have only grown, making her the perfect expert to teach anyone novice to oenophile something new, unexpected, and important about wine."