Natalie MacLean’s debut book is an entertaining, light-hearted look at the world of wine. MacLean’s descriptive writing style is a refreshing change from writers who rely on similes and metaphors to illustrate their words.
Ins and Outs of Red, White, and Drunk All Over
Reading this book is akin to taking a course called “All You Need to Know about Wines” by the love child of Carrot Top and Barbara Walters. While being entertained, you will learn unique facts about wine. Woven throughout the autobiographical tale are fascinating tidbits of information; why vintners make vines compete with one another, the truth about zinfandel, the origin of sipping champagne from ladies shoes, the logic behind “toy champagne”, among dozens more.
MacLean offers dos and don’ts of stemware, explains why Australian wines are so popular these days, and shares the sexism she has encountered in the wine writing industry. MacLean runs the gamut while discussing her wine quest and touches on personalities such as Brad Pitt, Austin Powers, and Thomas Jefferson.
MacLean's Liquid Journey
In this great read, MacLean takes us on a liquid journey through France, to California’s Sonoma Valley, San Francisco, into Quebec, and back to France. She shares what happened when she went undercover as a wine sommelier - what a treat that chapter is! We learn the truth about wine scores and ratings and why they may not be the ideal way to choose a wine. And I doubt I will order a glass of house wine or pick up a bottle of cooking wine off a grocery store shelf ever again.
MacLean's Impressive Bio
MacLean certainly has the background to write with authority on the subject of wine. She holds down day jobs as a wine writer, speaker, and judge. An accredited sommelier, she is a member of the National Capital Sommelier Guild, the Wine Writers Circle and several French wine societies. At the World Food Media Awards in Australia, Natalie was named the World's Best Drink Writer, beating out over 1,000 entrants.
MacLean won the M.F.K. Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing from Les Dames d'Escoffier International and has won numerous other awards. Natalie is the drinks blogger for Epicurious, the web site for both Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines. More than five million food and wine lovers visit the site every month. As well, her articles have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers across the world.
Any oenophile will get a good laugh and a dose of new knowledge when they pick up Red, White and Drunk All Over. And MacLean just might inspire non-imbibers to pick up a bottle of Bordeaux. Cheers!
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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