Product Description

There are few books that have had such a monumental impact in their field as The World Atlas of Wine; sales of the first four editions exceed 3.5 million copies. Now, world-renowned authors Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson have teamed up to combine their unrivalled talents. Together they have created the fifth edition of this masterpiece, making it the most thorough and expansive revision ever of the work. In keeping with the Atlas's reputation for cartographic excellence, all 148 maps from the fourth edition have been completely revised and modernised, with an additional 30 new maps. Hailed by Decanter as Wine Book of the Millennium, The World Atlas of Wine has been described by critics worldwide as 'extraordinary' and 'irreplaceable'. In this, its fifth edition in 30 years, it remains an essential addition to every wine-lovers or professional's library.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #206750 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
This is something of a dream-team production. The names of Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson are self-recommending for any book on which they appear: their unprecedented collaboration on The World Atlas of Wine is a guarantee of the most distinguished and intelligent writing on the subject... so it proves. The fifth edition (in 30 years) of this astonishingly successful book lives up to, and surpasses, its predecessors. In 350 densely packed but never clotted pages the authors manage the extraordinary feat of characterising wine production throughout the world, from Vancouver Island to Japan--for Buddhists first planted vines in that inhospitably precipitous, monsoon-lashed land over a thousand years ago. After a substantial introductory section dealing with the history of wine, its making, storage and enjoyment, we're off. Starting (where else?) with France and Burgundy. Each wine area is summarised in terms of its geography, climate and preferred vines; and the appellations, laws and traditions that govern production. The discussion of Pomerol, for example, tells you a great deal in one short page. Even since 1994, when the fourth edition came out, vast changes have swept the wine world, and many parts of the atlas have been correspondingly completely reworked. South America and Canada, Southern France and Italy, Greece, Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean are among areas that have benefited. The regional maps which form the core of the book are a triumph of clarity. The whole production constitutes a brilliant achievement of organisation and synthesis, forming an indispensable resource for any wine lover at all interested in where the wine they drink comes from and why it tastes the way it does. --Robin Davidson

Review
There are few books in the overcrowded field of wine that have had such a remarkable impact as The World Atlas of Wine. The first four editions have sales in excess of 3.5m copies. Clearly, though, the powers that be at Mitchell Beazley decided that something was needed to freshen the brew, and now two of the leading wine authorities, Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson, have joined forces to produce this very tempting fifth edition. Of course, this could have been a case of "don't fix it if it ain't broke"- Johnson seemed to be doing a wonderful job on his own - but the two authors' thorough and expansive revision has produced a truly definitive volume that is still the key addition to any wine lover or professional's library.

The Independent, September 2001
It is hard to imagine any other Atlas has inspired an equal amount of lip-smacking among readers.

Customer Reviews

Major Improvements to an Outstanding Wine Reference Guide!
Putting the brilliant wine writers Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson together to update the 4th edition of Hugh Johnson's classic work was an inspired choice. Each is superb on her or his own. Together, they are stunning in this, their first collaboration!

Whether you want to give a wonderful gift or simply to have a great wine reference, this book is an outstanding choice. The World Atlas of Wine will deepen your pleasure in wines you enjoy, and guide you to wonderful visits to outstanding vineyards and wineries during your travels. Hopefully, your tasting experiences will benefit as a result!

If you do not know the predecessor works, let me describe the book's layout. It begins with brief sections on the history of wine; basic facts about the influence of soil, temperature, varietals, wines, wine-making, storage, serving, and tasting; and has helpful information about how to read labels and interpret technical terms.

The heart of the book comes in individual essays about wine-growing regions around the world. These are very complete. France has 58 sections, Italy has 18, Germany shares 14, the United States is covered by 12, Spain is represented by 8, Australia has 7, Portugal has 6. Many other countries are covered as well, including parts of the former Soviet Union, the Balkans, North Africa, South America, and smaller countries in Europe.

Each individual wine-growing region is organized around an updated map. For this 5th edition, 148 maps were redrawn from the 4th, and 30 new maps were added. These maps show where the major wineries are, different vineyards, qualities of grapes, altitudes, major roads, and locations is cities within the area. In some cases, these maps are also supplemented by detailed examples of soil differences and temperature gradients. Each region has at least one beautiful color photograph to give you a sense of the geography. Within the accompanying essay is a detailed discussion of how the locale affects the taste and qualities of the wines that are produced there.

Anyone will find themselves learning a lot from this atlas. Even if you were familiar with a region ten years ago, chances are that it has changed. The atlas will bring you up-to-date. In addition, you can learn about new regions and wineries whose wines may interest you.

A nice feature of the book is a bound ribbon for marking your place.

Considering the remarkable quality of the contents and reproduction of the maps and images, this book is extremely fairly priced.

The predecessor four editions have sold 3.5 million copies over the last 30 years. I think we can safely assume that this volume will sell in the millions as well. If you already own the 4th edition, you would be well advised to buy this one also.

Where else can understanding local conditions help you appreciate more about what is going on? How can you gain that experience and knowledge?

Let curiosity pull you forth from old habits . . . into better ones!

A valuable book for anyone interested in wine
One of the first books I bought about wine was The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and the latest edition is even better. It was at its conception, and it remains, a fantastic concoction of information, wine labels, descriptions, and photos, all surrounding a map of a specific region or location. It does not really provide specific suggestions or scores on particular wines, but nevertheless it is a great read on a winters evening. The one abiding memory I have of this book is the way it conveyed to me the idea that wine can be made from a fantastic variety of grape and is produced in an enormous number of places and not just a few select locations in France (on a winters evening you can travel from Bergerac, through the Valais, to Stellenbosch).

Top-quality reference book. Highly recommended.
Pick pretty much any wine from the top quality racks of your local supermarket, and chances are you will be able to find the exact spot where it's made, and read some comments about it in this atlas. The maps are just superb. I have renewed my interest in the whole art of wine appreciation from this one book. Highly recommended.