You may just have gathered that there is a brand new, much revised, third edition of The Oxford Companion to Wine out. The new version of this classic, much-awarded reference book has a moody bunch of purple grapes on the US jacket and a bright yellow one in the UK and elsewhere with wine glasses whose rim is just a tad too thick (nitpicking editor speaking here).
The world of wine has changed so much since 1999 when the last, second edition came out that updating it fully, with 40 per cent of entries substantially revised and 300 brand new ones, it took Julia Harding MW and me more than two very solid years. You will therefore understand it goes against the grain somewhat when we hear people saying airily that they don’t need the new edition because they have the first one, published in 1994. Huh! How wrong can you be…? See the articles listed below for details of just how much has changed or been added and click here for reviews of the 3rd edition that have already been logged by Amazon.
The book is awfully heavy though so, much as I love independent bookshops and want to support them, I can see the argument for ordering this particular 3kg baby from Amazon. To do so, just click on the relevant link on the right of the public home page.
Nov 16: Some members have had difficulty accessing Amazon from the links on the home page, even though the links work for me using both IE and Firefox so I'm somewhat stumped. I hope the links below will work more effectively:
US: Amazon.com
UK: Amazon.co.uk
If you order your Companion(s) here and would like it (them) personally dedicated, I would be happy to send you a special signed, personalised bookplate that you can stick in to your copy of the book. All you have to do is send me your name and mailing address with details of what you want me to write (maximum 10 respectable words other than my signature please). I’m assuming you won’t want me to write what one man in a bookshop asked for: “To Caroline, Love Dad” in my scrawl.
Just send an email via Contact/General Enquiries (not Subscriptions or Site Problems!) and allow two weeks for signing and delivery.
This offer lasts until the end of November, or sooner if I find myself too swamped.
Nov 16: I am already a bit swamped, not least by those who don't seem to have noticed the 10-word limit, but I'll certainly do my utmost to keep up. Please note that if you don't specify a particular request, I will write:
To X [the person sending the email],
a companion in wine,
[my signature]
