Book Review:
The New Wine Rules
Written by Jon Bonne
Illustrated by Maria Hergueta
2017 publication, 148 pages
On a prior book review thread, a commenter had suggested this book, so I ordered this from our local library system. It’s a tiny book, with charming illustrations, and takes only an hour or two to read. Given how much of an expert the author is, its a strange book for him to produce, since its not geared up for the readership that would know him. The book is basic, but has infused AFWE pragmatic sensibility into its 89 (why that #?) guidelines for buying/consuming/storing etc. wine.
There isn’t really a table of contents, or structure, just 89 rules that the author thought new enthusiasts would benefit from. They are well spaced with colorful illustrations (they look like Virgin Atlantic or JetBlue laminated safety cards in color/tone) and some intriguing concepts.
The overall tone is pragmatic. Despite the authors knowledge, he doesn’t share any insights or tips on appellations or interpreting labels etc., or really any of the arcana of wine. Maybe 1 short comment on when consumers should consider (and pay for) ‘grand cru’ on a wine label (only in Burgundy!), but the rest of it are rules of thumb e.g. don’t pay too much for wine BTG at a bar. Or that grand marque bubbly tends to be richly priced in hospitality settings. The book does seem to be pitched for high income city dwellers with guidance on finding quality local wine shops and how to find value on fine wine lists. For large swaths of America, we can NOT pop in to a Chambers St. Wines or K&L on the way home, so it feels like misdirected counsel.
The strangest visuals, or at least the most notable, are one where he presents a scatter plot where wines are graded on a coolness/unfashionable scale against their traditional/technical production. NZ SB is on the extreme point for being a ‘manufactured’ example, while Rioja is held out as as an example of traditional methords. White Bordeaux is dunned as the most unfashionable category while Red Burgundy is heralded as the most ‘in’. Most of the items that would populate WB cellars are in the graph, and plenty that I’d never paid attention to (assyrtiko). There is another visual where wine categories are graded on a similar scatter plot with a sweet/dry axis versus a fruity/savory scale. I think here ‘savory’ just means ‘flavors other fruit’ as Santorini whites are next to Sherry on that, and I’d suspect they don’t really taste the same blind.
For an enthusiast, there is little here that would be new/interesting beyond the cool/uncool chart - which appears to the authors opinion. If there is data behind those (like Google Search trends or something) its not disclosed. In one of his rules, Bonne does note that one can get better value when shopping for ‘uncool’ wines, which I have certainly found to be true. The book has utility as a gift, with perhaps good stems and a bottle, for someone who has started exploring fine wine. It’s not worth money for someone on this board, although if you can get it free from a library, its not an hour wasted.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Wine-Rules-Genuinely-Everything/dp/039957980X
Used copies change hands for $3 on Amazon. For the avoidance of doubt, that is NOT an affiliate link above; I don’t do that stuff.