Around the World in Eighty Wines

Exploring Wine One Country at a Time

De: Mike Veseth

Narrado por: Eric Michael Summerer

Inspired by Jules Verne's classic adventure tale, Mike Veseth takes listeners "around the world in 80 wines".

The journey starts in London, Phileas Fogg's home base, and follows Fogg's itinerary to France and Italy before veering off in search of compelling wine stories in Syria, Georgia, and Lebanon. Every glass of wine tells a story, and so each of the 80 wines must tell an important tale. We head back across Northern Africa to Algeria, once the world's leading wine exporter, before hopping across the sea to Spain and Portugal. We follow Portuguese trade routes to Madeira and then South Africa with a short detour to taste Kenya's most famous Pinot Noir.

The route loops around, visiting Bali, Thailand, and India before heading north to China to visit Shangri-La. Shangri-La? Does that even exist? It does, and there is wine there. Then it is off to Australia, with a detour in Tasmania. The stars of the Southern Cross guide us to New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina. We ride a wine train in California and rendezvous with Planet Riesling in Seattle before getting into fast cars for a race across North America, collecting more wine as we go. Pause for lunch in Virginia to honor Thomas Jefferson, then it's time to jet back to London to tally our wines and see what we have learned.

©2018 Rowman & Littlefield (P)2017 Tantor

Author accomplished his intention well

Read this one more for the travel narrative angle than to hear wine details. Story worked okay for me, but it's not a travelogue, except to emphasize the effect of local geography on wine production. Target audience might be those who see all those international options at the store, but are confused or daunted by the differences.

Audio narration helped bring out author's enthusiasm, though reader stumbled on some items occasionally.

Meh

I could have done without the social justice grandstanding. That kinda killed it for me. Maybe WSET 2 folks may get something out of it

A smooth listen

When I heard Eric Summerer was reading this book, it became a must listen.
Veseth uses story to share his knowledge of the global wine culture and market. He takes a survey approach tailored to the reading public. The French history, Argentina beyond Malbec, Napa Valley wine trains, Veseth takes each region on its own merit.
Listening to Eric Summerer's soothing voice read the final wine list is enough to put one to sleep.