
Bosker started with the question of whether master sommeliers have an in-born ability to discern flavors and scents or whether they have skill that can be learned by pretty much anyone. To answer this question, she talked to wine experts, trailed professionals in the high-end restaurant business, joined tasting groups, traveled around the world to interview scientists, and studied for the sommelier certification test.

Bosker was fascinated by the experts who can blind taste a wine and tell you the grape, vintage, and origin. She met the woman who was instrumental in setting up the wheel of wine flavors (slate, mineral, tobacco, leather, herbs, fruits and so on; see scan at right, click to enlarge) and underwent MRIs to see what happened in her brain when she sipped wine.
I find it a little crazy that there are people out there who regularly spend hundreds of dollars per bottle of wine and buy several expensive wines over the course of single night. These are the restaurant diners sommeliers live for. On the other hand, I was relieved to learn that most sommeliers are happy to help us little people too and will do their best to suggest a decent wine within our much more limited budgets.
Audiobook: I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Penguin Audio; 12 hr, 17 min) read by Bosker. I usually shy away from author-read books, so I was pleasantly surprised by Bosker's performance. She was enthusiastic, expressive, and seemed to have a natural sense of pacing. Recommended listen. (Thanks to Penguin Audio for the review copy.)
Note: I'm in a lacemaking workshop all weekend, but will pop on over to read your posts as soon as I can. The wine aroma wheel shown here is in the public domain.
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Good book choice! I've seen other reviews and yours adds to what I know.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
What a great title for a book! Sounds like a very interesting read. I've always wanted to know whether sommeliers are born with extra sensitive taste buds -- kind of like perfume makers who have a heightened sense of smell . . .
ReplyDeleteI agree, what a perfect title. Cork Dork sounds like a fascinating read. Enjoy your workshop!
ReplyDeleteI know people who can get all the flavors out of beer and can remember what a beer they had months ago was like so I'd be interested to see if that's something people can learn. I'm not a wine drinker but I think I'd like this.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this one but wasn't sure it was for me because I'm not really a wine drinker. But this sounds really interesting. I've always been curious about the history of wine and if all the stuff people say at tastings really has some truth to it. I'll definitely check this one out.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun book (Lacemaking, not so much, because I don't think my eyes can see small like that!)
ReplyDeleteAs a wine lover (like you) I am adding this book to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteI do love that more commercial wine companies are going to screw tops, does that make me uncouth?
I have been excited to hear your feedback on this book after seeing your posts on Litsy. Definitely adding it to the TBR pile--it sounds so interesting. Thanks for sharing and enjoy the lacemaking workshop. Looking forward to seeing some pics. ;-)
ReplyDeleteLace making, now that sounds fun! And you have to love that name: Cork Dork. I'm so glad we have a good sommelier in our little town and he goes out of his way to find reasonably priced excellent wines.
ReplyDeleteHey there. I do enjoy your blog. I'm one of the last grads of Miss Farmer's Cooking School, which closed in 77. I have an extensive cookbook collection. Someday, when I get my rear in gear, I want to review a few of them, and possibly a piece on 'Fanny Farmer vs. The Joy of Cooking: the ongoing feud between two siblings" about my Mom and her brother, now long gone.
ReplyDeleteI requested this at the library. Excited to read it!
ReplyDeleteOooh, glad to know this was a audio by the author that works- adding it to my memoir list!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to get two of this one---one for me and one for my sister. We both love books about wine.
ReplyDeleteFabulous suggestion! We listened to this on our 16-hour drive to Pensacola Beach. I love the author's writing style - her fresh metaphors and incredible sense of humor. And I thought she did a fine job narrating her own work. I particularly enjoyed the various voices she gave each of her SOMM friends.
ReplyDeleteThank you SO much! Now that I have one audiobook under my belt, perhaps I won't shy away from "reading" them" anymore. I think non-fiction may be better for me than fiction.