While you don’t need to be a wine industry professional to enjoy a wine tour or tasting, we think it’s helpful if you study a bit about the regions you’ll be visiting and the wines you’ll be tasting. Knowing even a little of the basics will enhance your travel experience.
We have some books that we own with well-worn dog-eared pages that we recommend for travelers to help them get a little more wine knowledge before their trip.
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If you know you love drinking wine and that’s about as far as your wine knowledge goes, then Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette, or Wine for Normal People by Elizabeth Schneider are great starts. Also, check out Elizabeth’s podcast by the same name, ‘Wine for Normal People’.
If you’re familiar with the most popular grape varietals and wine regions but want to go a little deeper and build on your base of knowledge, Kevin Zraly will help you take it to the next level. His book, Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, is in-depth and packed with information.
If you want to learn as much as you can about wine and its history and regions, then The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil is an incredibly comprehensive guide. And if you really want to really dig in, then you need The World Atlas of Wine by Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson, which is regarded as the most authoritative wine reference — seriously, this book is THE encyclopedia of wine.
Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker is a fun, entertaining read. Bianca tells us about her 18-month journey going from novice to certified sommelier and her deep dive into the wine world. It’s both witty and informative and the perfect book to take with you on your trip.
If you prefer a classroom setting to learn more about wine, we highly recommend WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) courses. With in-person classes around the world, you’ll likely find one close to you. But, even better, their online, self-study classes are perfect for learning more about wine in the comfort of your home, which means you can open and taste loads of wine without driving.
An added bonus to studying with WSET is the certification after you pass the exam. And who doesn’t want a neat little lapel pin that shows you take your wine seriously?
