The World in a Wineglass

The Insider's Guide to Artisanal, Sustainable, Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now

By: Ray Isle

Narrated by: Kevin R. Free

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Food & Wine editor Ray Isle does for wine what Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma did for food—showing readers how to choose more delicious, interesting, and environmentally friendly wines without breaking the bank.

So much of today’s wine is mass-produced, industrially farmed, corporate-owned, and essentially, ordinary. In The World in a Wineglass, veteran wine writer Ray Isle explains that the way a wine is made, and who made it, can make a huge difference when you drink it—and why that information matters much more than knowing it scored 90 points. Or that it tastes like blueberries. Or “hints of violets and black pepper.”

Drawing on his deep knowledge and genuine appreciation of winemaking, Isle takes us on a tour of several hundred independently owned wineries around the world—everywhere from France’s Burgundy to Oregon’s Willamette Valley to the Itata Valley in the southern reaches of Chile—bringing the local vintners to life and describing the different wines they produce in vivid detail. Isle’s enthusiasm for the grape growers and winemakers who are working sustainably or organically shines through as he shares his love for the way a glass of wine can express the place it comes from and capture the essence of the person who made it. Focusing on wines people can afford, rather than $500 rarities, Isle shows us where and how to find the most interesting bottles out there today.

Whether you prefer a hearty cabernet, a crisp chardonnay, or something more off the beaten path, Ray Isle’s affable, accessible guide to finding unusual or undiscovered varieties offers a window into a whole new fascinating world for wine lovers everywhere.

24 hours was not enough

Such a wonderful book. I was so sad to reach the end. I am an amateur wine maker and found the stories of these amazing wineries all over the globe to be inspiring. I took so many notes and am working on tracking down many of the interesting wines referenced.

Save your money

Too much information. Boring. And I love wines. Even wine snobs would find this tedious.

Needs a pdf

Needs a PDF listing the names of the discussed wine makers. Some are easy to understand but others aren’t would help to find their wines.

Like VH1 Behind the Music for Wine Lovers

So much information, so many places, names, wineries, farms and practices. It can feel a little long winded at times, but if you love all the nooks and crannies in the wine world and behind the scenes looks into some of the worlds best and amazing wine minds, you'll love every second of this book. Great work by the narrator, voice fits well with the material and when comedy or awkward moments happen, he reads it like he's just telling a story at the dinner table. Great stuff..cheers 🥂

Redundant Personalities & Attitudes

The redundancy of personality and attitude that was used to describe each vintner soon became monotonous (ugh!): Libertarian partyers dedicated to their terroir--or, at least, to getting drunk. All work hard but hate work. All claim that the land and the vines really do the work (and I believe that). But about the wine itself, very little...just repetitious comments about stones, minerality, smoke, and a particular subset of the fruits family.