by Len Napolitano

Wineology Press 2013

ISBN 97-0-9893087-0-0

Soft cover 184 pages $14.99

It's a shame that their perceived lack of expertise keeps so many folks from enjoying wine. While it's true you can spend a lifetime in wine and not know everything about it, a basic grounding in the subject isn't all that hard to come by.

Nose, Legs, Body! is a great introduction to the subject. It provides a comfort level that will blunt the apprehension a novice may feel and take him in directions that will more quickly lead to happy experiences. The author has given a nod to three general categories of wine observation (nose, legs and body) and incorporates another body part in his subtitle, “know wine like the back of your hand,” a recurring definition to the summaries concluding each chapter of the book. The lessons are simple (without talking down to the reader) and convey a lot of information in an easy-reading style. People in the wine business may forget how many bits of knowledge they take for granted that may flummox newcomers (how many people have purchased a bottle of wine that is said to show aspects of berries, plums, cedar and even “cigar boxes” and wondered, “but I thought wine was made from grapes?”). Len Napolitano is a wine writer and wine educator and has been a fixture on TV's Fine Living Network. Like all good teachers, he respects his audience and would rather invite them to the party, than to intimidate them.

A quick read will do much to raise the confidence of fledgling wine fans and the glossary and appendices will be valuable for those questions that come up later.

--Reviewed by Dan Clarke