Suggested Reading for the Oenophile

Over the years, we’ve started to become wine people. It’s partly out of a mutual enjoyment of hosting and cooking and partly out of our love of travel. We’ve been to a handful of the world’s wine regions, though we have lots left to explore.

Since we’re heading back to Napa for “crush” (aka harvest) this year, I think it’s the perfect time to brush up on some of the history of those fabulous grapes. So, I pulled together a list, and the best part about it is that these are books that either sound fabulous or that I’ve read and couldn’t put down.

Check out these wine tasting tips from our last trip to Napa and some of our favorite gardens and outdoor spaces in Napa Valley for more.

The Judgment of Paris ~ Written by the only reporter present at the famous Judgment of Paris in 1976. This book details the historic tasting where California wines bested French wines for the first time. It was a watershed moment that put American wines on the map. Great book on the history of Napa Valley and how its early winemakers worked together to see American wines succeed.

Champagne: How the World’s Most Glamorous Wine Triumphed Over War and Hard Times ~ A fabulous book that traces back the history of France’s champagne region, going back to Attila the Hun, whose old temporary campground can still be visited today in Reims, and the tale of a determined winemaker who tended to his vines between shellings during WWII.

Wine and War: The French, The Nazis & The Battle for France’s Greatest Treasure ~ A book by the same author as Champagne above. It’s his first and I’m anxious to pick it up.

The Widow Clicquot ~ The story of “La Grande Dame” of champagne and how the dedicated widow saved the label throughout several hardships.

Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste ~ This book is actually on our book club’s list for next year. It’s a New York Times bestseller and I’ve been dying to read it ever since it came out.

The Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Wine ~ Another one that’s on my current list. This book is about a 1787 Château Lafite Bordeaux that was supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson. Was it worth the $156,000 or was it a all just a con?

A Bite-Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment ~ My friend, Rachel, recommended this one for our book club. Being the Francophile that I am, I can’t wait to read it.

Secrets of the Sommeliers: How to Think and Drink Like the World’s Top Wine Professionals ~ I haven’t read this one yet, but it says it gives an “immersion course” into tasting and serving wine, finding good bottles at good prices, and pairing wine with food (something I find I always could use a little help with).

Tasting the Past: The Science of Flavor and the Search for the Origins of Wine ~ A book that goes through the history of wine as a journalist travels along ancient wine routes to track down a specific wine.

I Taste Red: The Science of Tasting Wine ~ This book goes through the sensory and psychological processes, aka the science bit, of tasting wine.

Land and Wine: The French Terroir ~ Sure, climate and a grape’s variety matter when you’re talking about wine, but the most important factor is the terroir, or soil, in which it’s grown. That’s what this book tackles, covering a dozen of France’s wine regions chapter by chapter.

Shadows in the Vineyard: The True Story of the Plot to Poison the World’s Greatest Wine ~ A journalist details how he uncovered a plot to poison one of Burgundy’s finest and most expensive wines. With a title like this, how could you not want to pick it up?!

Neuroenology: How the Brain Creates the Taste of Wine ~ Another science-based book, but – hear me out – the author starts out by saying that, “creating the taste of wine engages more of the brain than does any other human behavior.” Who knew?

Godforsaken Grapes: A Slightly Tipsy Journey through the World of Strange, Obscure, and Underappreciated Wine ~ I can see this book providing plenty of cocktail party conversation starters and random facts. Maybe the author included Virginia’s Viognier variety?

Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Buyer’s Tour of France ~ A new release, this book just sounds dreamy. The author has been writing versions of this one for 25 years. I’m looking forward to diving right in.

Are there some that you’ve read that aren’t on my list? I’d love to hear all about them in the comments section below. I can’t wait to truly dive into our new hobby, so I’d love your recommendations!

We also shared some of our essentials for stocking your bar in this post and the beverages everyone should have on-hand here.

This post contains affiliate links, but all are tried and true Magnolia Stripes favorites.