Amazon.com description: Product Description: As wine editor of Gourmet magazine for more than 30 years, Gerald Asher s unsurpassed knowledge of wine, wineries, and vineyards-and his refreshing ability to write about them with-out technical jargon-has earned him a legion of loyal readers. This elegant and enchanting volume collects his writing about wine and all of its pleasures, from vine to table. With an emphasis on the wines of France and California, and also including Spain, Italy, Germany, and Australia, Asher s witty and personal essays tell the stories of the world s outstanding vintages and the people and places that produce them. A joy to read, The Pleasures of Wine informs and inspires, offering both an introduction to wine for novices and fresh insights for the connoisseur.