Books & Reviews Archives - Circle of Wine Writers

Simon J Woolf, Jasper Morris and Amanda Barnes nominated for André Simon awards

Posted on December 15, 2021December 19, 2021 by Robert Smyth

Circle Members Simon J Woolf, Jasper Morris MW and Amanda Barnes have all been longlisted for the André Simon Drinks Book 2021 award. Simon J Woolf received his nomination for Foot Trodden, which he co-authored with Ryan Opaz. Jasper Morris MW received a nomination for this in-depth look at one of the world's most famous wine regions in Inside Burgundy. And Amanda Barnes received a nomina...

Jane Anson, Oz Clarke & Keith Grainger shine at the Gourmand awards

Posted on December 15, 2021December 16, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Congratulations to the Members who took home celebrated Gourmand Awards for their books in the awards ceremony last month. Jane Anson, Oz Clarke and Keith Grainger all took home significant awards for their new books. Jane Anson won Best of the Best for her book, Inside Bordeaux, which was published earlier this year. Oz Clarke won the World Wines award for his book, English Wines, published...

Oz Clark On Wine: Oz’s most personal book to date

Posted on December 14, 2021December 20, 2021 by Oz Clarke

Oz Clarke On Wine is a fast-paced, informative and witty romp around the world of wine, crammed with Oz’s encyclopaedic knowledge and personal tastes. The newly published book explores the grape varieties key to the world’s major wine styles, and the vineyards and regions where a vast trove of wine treasure lies waiting for discovery. Oz conjures up the wine world’s most beautiful landscapes, i...

On California published by Académie du Vin Library

Posted on December 14, 2021December 20, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Last October, the Académie du Vin Library published a seminal book on California wine —past, present and future stories told by renowned international wine writers, including members of The Circle of Wine Writers. On California is the long-awaited collection of best works from the world's most beloved wine writers, following its predecessor, On Bordeaux. The newest title encompasses the expansi...

Raymond Blake set to publish Wine Talk

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Raymond Blake

Raymond Blake is set to have his latest book, Wine Talk, published early next year by Skyhorse in New York. Raymond Blake is one of Ireland’s leading wine writers, whose work appears in numerous magazines across the globe, including The World of Fine Wine. Recently he has also established a strong online presence, presenting wine tasting webinars to audiences in four continents, as well as priv...

Billy Abbott publishes The Philisophy of Whisky

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Billy Abbott has published The Philosophy of Whisky, a book taking 'a short look at the history of whisky and how it’s drunk today'. The book is accompanied by illustrations from the British Library archives and includes, according to Abbott, "one invocation of irony, lots of realisation that the English were complete gits in the past, and one severed digit". It was recently reviewed by Club...

Book Review: The South America Wine Guide by Amanda Barnes

Posted on October 20, 2021October 22, 2021 by Tamlyn Currin

Tamlyn Currin reviews The South America Wine Guide: The definitive guide to the wine in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru by Amanda Barnes in this review which was originally published on JancisRobinson.com In February 2020, just before the full reality of the pandemic hit and the world went into a lockdown from which nothing would emerge the same, Jancis went on an epic trip to...

Book Review: Foot Trodden: Portugal and the wines that time forgot by Simon J Woolf and Ryan Opaz

Posted on October 20, 2021October 22, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Simon J Woolf and Ryan Opaz both hold Portugal as dear to their hearts: a wine country that has captivated both of them over the years and so much so in Ryan’s case that he and his family moved there in 2013. Foot Trodden: Portugal and the wines that time forgot isn’t just their account of the lesser-known wines of Portugal, but very much a foray into the personalities of the Portuguese wine world...

Book Review: Wine Faults and Flaws by Keith Grainger

Posted on October 20, 2021October 23, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

The first time I met Keith Grainger was on a Circle trip to Sicily in 2013, and what struck me most was his fascination for bottling lines. Every winery we went to, while the other wine writers were busy looking at the vineyard views or asking to taste older vintages, Keith was scribbling notes and asking questions about sparging and sanitisation that went way over my head. Keith has long been fas...

The South America Wine Guide: The definitive guide to the wines of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru by Amanda Barnes published

Posted on June 19, 2021June 21, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes author of The South America Wine Guide

Amanda Barnes' tome to the wines of South America, The South America Wine Guide: The definitive guide to the wines of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, was published last month and is now available in hardback and as a digital book. "I'm thrilled to finally have my guide to South American wine out and be able to share it with everyone, and thank you so much to the members who...