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Slideshow
Top 10 drinks books for Christmas
With the festive season upon us, take the stress out of shopping for your fellow drinks enthusiasts by using our Christmas gift guide.
Here we round up some of the most critically acclaimed books on drinks and drinking from the past year.
From a witty satire of the wine industry by a professional buyer, to recipe books by mixologists at the cutting edge of innovation and the latest offering from one of the world’s most renowned wine writers, there is bound to be something for everyone this Christmas.
Click through for our pick of some of the best drinks books from this year…
Hugh Johnson, On Wine: Good Bits from 55 Years of Scribbling
The latest book from the revered wine writer is a must-have for wine enthusiasts and collectors alike.
This collection of stories from his near six decades of wine writing is the perfect blend of authoritative and entertaining, and is sure to be a Christmas hit.
Patrick Comiskey, American Rhône
One of the year’s best books on wine, Patrick Comiskey tells the story of a maverick group of California winemakers who moved away from traditional grapes and towards Rhône varieties in the 1960s and 1970s.
With California’s flagship Syrah becoming ever more popular, Comiskey brings figures such as Randall Grahm and Sean Thackery to life.
Jancis Robinson, The 24-Hour Wine Expert
One of the most respected wine critics in the world, Jancis Robinson MW promises to provide everything you need to know about wine in 100 pages. The perfect gift for wine drinkers who want to know more but wouldn’t read a chunky textbook.
Peter Stafford-Bow, Corkscrew
This bawdy satire is the first novel written by the pseudonymous former wine executive, and takes you on a (mostly) fictional journey through the vineyards of South Africa, Bulgaria, Italy and Kent.
We have serialised two extracts from the novel, here and here.
Jerry Lockspeiser, Your Wine Questions Answered
Wine entrepreneur Jerry Lockspeiser has attempted to demystify the world of wine and tell wine drinkers the 25 things they want to know, but may be afraid to for fear of looking daft.
Topics include how wine is made and why wines taste different, while the conversational style makes it an easy read.
He is donating 100% of profits to projects building primary schools in Sierra Leone.
Sasha Petraske, Regarding Cocktails
The only book by the late cocktail pioneer who restored lustre to the New York cocktail scene includes 85 recipes from his repertoire, as well as anecdotes and home bar advice.
One of the most beautiful books on this list, it immortalises Petraske’s talent and is sure to influence the next generation of cocktail makers.
Fiona Beckett, 101 Great Ways to Enjoy Cheese and Wine
Nothing says Christmas like the combination of cheese and wine, and Fiona Beckett’s gorgeous ebook is full of innovative ideas.
As well as pairing hard to match cheeses with delicious drinks, she gives advice on how to assemble the perfect cheeseboard and profiles some of her personal favourite cheesemakers.
Beckett far exceeded the original 101 ways of pairing cheese with drinks – in fact, there are more than 200 listed!
Fiona Rintoul and Konrad Borkowski, Whisky Island
A beautifully illustrated celebration of the eight distilleries on Islay in the Scottish southern Hebrides is perfect for Scotch whisky enthusiasts.
Award-winning novelist Fiona Rintoul profiles the history of the distilleries, while nearly 200 stunning photographs taken by Jura resident Konrad Borkowski make it a visual masterpiece.
See a selection of images from the book here.
Tristan Stephenson, The Curious Bartender’s Gin Palace
The third “Curious Bartender” book from master mixologist Tristan Stephenson takes us on a captivating tour of the story of gin.
He starts with the history of gin, tracing its medieval origins through to modern-day micro-distilleries, explains how gin is made and provides gin recipes that live up to his curious bartender moniker.
Helen McGinn, Teetotal Tipples, for January and Beyond
Perfect for those who go a bit overboard at Christmas, the award-winning author of “The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club” brings us simple recipes for delicious homemade mocktails and infusions to help get through – and enjoy – a Dry January.
And finally, don’t forget the classics…
From The Oxford Companion to Wine to The World Atlas of Wine, or the extraordinary wealth of grape-based information in Wine Grapes, there are plenty of choices of serious reading material for the wine lover that may not be new, but are still widely available.