書介: 如何品嚐葡萄酒?

(之前出現在Vintage 雜誌)

如何品嚐葡萄酒?

How to Taste Wine, Pierre Casamayor, Hachette Wine Library, 127 pages.

喝葡萄酒的人很多，懂葡萄酒的人也不少，但懂品酒的人的卻不多。這本書教你如何品酒!這本書的作者Pierre Casamayor是法國有名的寫酒作家，在法國酒界頗有名望。
2002年從法文書“Ecole de la degustation”翻譯成英文後成為Hachette出版社酒圖書館系統第一本英文書。Hachette 是法國非常有名的出版社，每年出版的Guide Hachette des vins 詳細記錄法國各地有名酒莊的酒品和評分，這些年來已成為全世界葡萄酒收藏家買酒依據之一。

這本書大致上可以分成三大部份，第一部份作者從人的各種感官角度，詳細敘述如何從視覺上區分葡萄酒的色澤，從嗅覺上如何分別葡萄酒的香氣，到味覺上如何評估葡萄酒的口感。第二部份作者敘述如何品嚐各種葡萄酒，從年輕剛裝瓶的白葡萄酒到陳年紅葡萄酒，從氣泡酒到甜葡萄酒，連罕見的vins jaunes (法國南部生產的甜酒)和Rose玫瑰酒，甚至到威士忌和蘭姆酒都有詳細的介紹。第三部份作者提供幾種簡單訓練品酒方式，訓練想學習品酒的人如何分辨柔順和厚實的單寧、不同酸度和不同甜度的白酒、不同氣候生產出來的粉紅葡萄酒和不同類型香檳的氣泡。

想學習品酒的人，讓懂得享受生活的法國人引導你進入葡萄酒的感官世界。

Book View: How to Taste Wine, Pierre Casamayor, Hachette Wine Library, 127 pages.

“The art of tasting, in contrast to the act drinking, is a question of measure: it teaches you how to put quality before quantity. And because it stimulates all the senses – sound, sight, smell, taste and touch – it is an invitation to hedonism” (the leading sentence of the book)

This book shows people the pleasure of tasting wine. By French wine writer.

This book adapted from “Ecole de la degustation” by Pierre Casamayor. Casamayor, a well-known French wine writer, has written several well respected books on wine and his latest work, The School of Alliance, received the Edmon Rothschild prize.

In this book the author discussed in detail various aspects of sensory stimulation of tasting wine. It started with the tutoring of techniques on how to assess wine, especially on aspects of “eying”, aroma and palate of a wine. Then he discussed in great depth on various types of wine and, rarely in wine books, liqueur and spirits such as malt Whiskey and Rum. It even provided practices on developing skills for judging different aspects of wine.

In a world full of wine literatures by English and American wine writers, this book provides an alternative view on how to appreciate wine. A must read by people who are serious about wine!!!