The Booklovers' Guide to Wine

Learn why great wines and great writers are a wonderful blend

Pure delight: "This book would be a highly recommendable primer on wine without the literary references as Alexander guides us through regions and grapes, plus how to truly appreciate this nectar. But the hefty chapter matching grapes with authors is pure delight: albarino and J.R.R. Tolkien, chardonnay and Jane Austen, and his personal favorite, gewurztraminer and Marcel Proust." - Minneapolis Star Tribune

The pleasures of great wine and great writers: Under the careful guidance of his father, Patrick Alexander began drinking wine with his meals at the age of five. At the same age, encouraged by his mother, he began a lifelong love-affair with books. The twin pleasures of wine and writing remained his passion for the next sixty-five years. He has raised his own children in many of the world's great wine growing regions, from Bordeaux and Piedmont in Europe to the Santa Cruz mountains of California while researching and writing his definitive guide to the novels of Marcel Proust.

History of wine and some of the best wines: For the past six years, Patrick has been teaching a sold-out wine appreciation class at the nation's No.1 independent bookstore, Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida. The Booklovers' Guide to Wine is based on this very successful class and blends Patrick's passion for the culture and history of wine and his love of literature for the world's great writers. A literary twist on traditional food and wine pairings, this book explores how great wines and great writers can be combined to enhance the enjoyment of both. The book describes the history of wine from the time of Noah to the birth of two-buck Chuck. It explores the significance of terroir and varietal, the differences between Old World and New World wines and explains why England, a small island with almost no vineyards, is such a dominant force in the world of wine. The book also shows the relationship between:

• Charles Dickens with Cabernet Sauvignon
• Jane Austin with Chardonnay
• Shakespeare with Sherry
• and, J.R.R. Tolkien with Albarino

This fact-filled, jargon free guide to wine, bursting with entertaining anecdotes, literary quotes and compelling humor will teach you everything you always wanted to learn about wine but were too scared to ask.

Learn about wine: Patrick Alexander originally developed the Wine Appreciation program when he worked at the University of Miami as Director of the Office of Professional Advancement. In the summer of 2011, after Patrick had left UM in order to focus on writing, Mitchell Kaplan suggested he offer his program at Books & Books during the quiet summer months. "It seems a pity to waste all that research" Mitchell said "and you never know; our book customers might want to learn about wine while enjoying great writers ." Six years, twenty-three sold-out classes, and four-hundred satisfied students later, Patrick Alexander's Wine Appreciation Program has become one of the highlights of Books & Books event programming. Patrick is also a published author and his writings include Marcel Proust's Search for Lost Time and The Nigerian Letter. Now, by reading The Booklovers' Guide To Wine you can also experience what Patrick's students have come to love and appreciate about great wines and great writers.