Keith Grainger shares news of two Circle members taking home the prestigious wine book awards in André Simon Awards earlier this month.
Let’s give hearty congratulations to Circle members Jasper Morris MW, and Amanda Barnes for their success in the 2021 André Simon Awards. The results of this prestigious competition were announced at virtual ‘Zoom’ Ceremony, which was held on 8th March 2022. The judging panel was led by Rose Murray Brown MW for wine books, and Yemisi Aribisala for the food books.
Jasper Morris MW won this year’s ‘Drink Award’ for Inside Burgundy: The vineyards, the wine and the people, 2nd edition. Jasper had previously won an André Simon award in 2010 for the 1st edition of Inside Burgundy. This second edition comprises of a considerable expansion and revision of the previous work. It spans 800 pages, with coverage of over 1,200 vineyards, 300 wine villages and 700 domaines. There are 45 full-colour maps. Particularly fascinating are the six maps that detail the ownership of individual plots in certain Grand and Premier Crus. Rose Murray Brown notes that this is ‘a book which will undoubtedly stand the test of time. Beautifully produced by BBR Press.’ In his review in The World of Fine Wine, Raymond Blake notes that Jasper ‘is more than an ardent chronicler. He’s an astute commentator, too. Arguments are made and conclusions drawn. The reader is vouchsafed insight and understanding.’
On-line orders (UK) can be made at: Buy Inside Burgundy, by Jasper Morris MW (2nd Edition) 90066000356 – Berry Bros. & Rudd (bbr.com). Incredibly, at writing the website shows the book as out of stock!
The John Avery Award was given to Amanda Barnes for The South America Wine Guide. In her review for www.jancisrobinson.com (and reprinted in The Circular) Tamlyn Currin MW said, ‘this book is the outstanding result of a project so vast in scale, both literally and metaphorically, that most people would quake to undertake it. But The South America Wine Guide is just so, so much more. (Amanda) Barnes writes beautifully! Lyrically!’ Rose Murray Brown describes the book as ‘a wonderful visual journey across 10 countries in this dramatic compelling continent’. The book, which comprise 528 pages, is self-published, but you would never believe this from the incredible quality of design and print. It is beautiful. As Amanda says, “on the advice of some fellow members (thank you especially to Wink Lorch and Simon J Woolf for their help!) I decided to self-publish. It has been quite the journey, especially managing a freelance team based in Argentina during the pandemic, but I really wanted full creative freedom and control with the book. So on my head be it!”
Orders can be placed at: Buy The South America Wine Guide Book by Amanda Barnes CWW members can obtain a 15% discount when applying the code in the Member Benefits Section of CWW website.
Also shortlisted for an award was Circle member Simon J Woolf for Foot Trodden, (co-author Ryan Opaz). The book is described in the New York Times as ‘an excellent introduction to the obscure history of Portuguese winemaking and its vitality and dynamic potential… a worthy project, beautifully done.’