Vines, Grapes & Wines

This was my first major reference book, written back in the mid 1980s when it was obvious that grape varieties were going to become increasingly important. It's amazing though to think that in certain (mainly French) quarters, cépage (French for grape variety) was a dirty word. Funnily enough, when Hachette got round to publishing it in French as Le Livre des Cépages, it was a big success for them – presumably bought by growers rather than drinkers. The book is very pretty and still preferred by many to the more up-to-date pocket alternative.

'This is the most important book about wine since Mr Hugh Johnson's The World Atlas of Wine of 1970' The Economist