Wine Savant: A Guide to the New Wine Culture

For a decade, Steinberger wrote thoughtfully about wine for Slate.com. In the 11 essays presented here, Steinberger offers advice and opinions on every aspect of wine and its consumption, from the problems of being perceived as a snob (a case not helped by his constant use of the term oenophilia), to the drawbacks of screw tops, to the perils of Chardonnay. He is somewhere between bitter and perplexed when lamenting vino’s inability to match beer in terms of popularity, but happily proclaims that “a truly golden age of California winemaking may be at hand.” Interspersed throughout the chapters is an array of useful lists, such as “tips for having a happy wine experience in a restaurant,” “names to know in Burgundy,” and “fifty of the world’s great $25 and under wines.” In an intriguing chapter on the interplay of wine and fine dining, Steinberger points out that many aficionados who eat at restaurants are so well versed in wine these days that they no longer really need a sommelier—or any advice at all. Norton is surely hoping that there are many people who still do. (Dec.)