FoodReference.com (since 1999)
BOOK REVIEW SECTION

 

 You are here > Home > 

Next

Gary Vaynerchuk's 101 Wines: Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World

by Gary Vaynerchuk

Review
I'll have to admit something. Until recently, I've never heard of Gary Vaynerchuk before. I had no idea what Wine Library TV was. Then a couple months ago, I decided to finally join this little website called Twitter. It all went downhill from there! (haha) To make a short story long, when I first saw mention of this internet wine show, I was thinking - oh, sure - THAT sounds like a blast; probably some snobby, obnoxious old fart who waxes philosophical about wine and thinks his opinion is more sacred than Mother Teresa. (Have you met a "serious" wine critic before? I have. I'd rather be poked in the eye.) Well, you should never judge a book by it cover (no pun intended) and I bit the bullet and saw a few episodes of Gary's little wine show called Wine Library TV.

I was hooked. I don't think I've ever run across anyone more sincere and passionate about wine before, who is more anxious to teach the world not about wine technique and history lessons, but to teach people to have fun with wine. To remove all the stereotypical stigmas associated with drinking wine. That it's ok to pop open a bottle for a football game. If you want a glass of Napa Cab with your cheeseburger - why not?

It's this passion that really shines in Gary's book. He makes it perfectly clear that the book is not a "wine guide". It's not. Yes, at the end of the day, its just another man's opinion on wine - 101, to be exact. But trust me, you will learn a thing or two. And, like me, you'll want to run out and buy wine you've never tasted or heard of before. The way Gary writes here - "bringing the thunder", the "oak monster", "obnoxious silkiness" - or a wine can taste like Cinnamon Toast Crunch or smells like poop (poop? Yes, poop) - it's just downright fun. The book is just filled with great stuff and little "fun facts" run rampant throughout.

So Gary - I sincerely thank you. To the world - buy this book and hopefully you'll get as much as I did.
(Chris Butts, Amazon.com)

About the Author
Gary Vaynerchuk Is the Director of Operations at the Wine Library, located in Springfield, NJ. He has appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Ellen and has been featured in GQ, Men’s Health, and the New York Times. He was also the youngest retailer ever to receive Market Watch magazine’s prestigious Leader award in 2003, at age 28. He lives in New York City.