THE LIFE AND WINES OF HUGH JOHNSON ‘‘Any fool can make a subject complex and any fool can say it is simple. But how much do you have to understand to grasp the essentials? If I can risk another riddle I would say most people try either too hard at wine or not hard enough…” Hugh JohnsonIn this unique approach to understanding wine, Hugh Johnson, the world’s best-loved wine author, weaves the story of his own epic wine journey with an embracing view of everything he has discovered along the way. Almost without realising it, the reader is drawn into a fascinating world; with each page turned, knowledge is gained and wine wisdom absorbed. Hugh takes us from the teetering ledges of the Mosel and majestic châteaux of the Médoc to the sylvan slopes of Windsor Great Park with a spring in his step and a tasting glass at the ready. No one writes so infectiously on every aspect of wine, whether human or cultural, technical or historical. This book is peppered with anecdotes and personal recollections, infused with the sheer delight Hugh finds in his subject. It is a book with a story to tell and a mastery of wine to impart.

‘Who better to supply us with our first comprehensive historical survey than the wine writer with the magic pen, Hugh Johnson?’ Jancis Robinson MW Widely acclaimed as Hugh Johnson’s longest, most ambitious and enthralling book, The Story of Wine is a book of enormous richness, a biography of wine. Winner of every wine award in the UK and USA, writing it, according to Hugh, was like trying to get ‘a quart into a liqueur glass’. It is not just one story but a collection of many, scanning the wine world from Noah to Napa, from Pompeii to Pomerol, as illuminating to our understanding of civilization as it is to our appreciation of wine.As historian Andrew Roberts says in his foreword: ‘The genius of The Story of Wine derives from the fact that it is an adventure story, full of mysteries, art and culture.’

“Serge was so much more than a winemaker and the driving force behind Lebanon’s best-known winery.” Jancis Robinson MWEdited by Susan Keevil, photography by Lucy Pope. Published by the Académie du Vin Library with the full participation and approval of the Hochar family – thank you Ronald, Gaston, Marc and Ralph. With contributions from:Jancis Robinson MW Michael Broadbent Steven Spurrier Bartholomew Broadbent Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) Fongyee Walker MW Edward Ragg MW And many other admirers and friends Chateau Musar’s story is one of war, hardship and utter determination in the face of chaos and destruction. Serge Hochar, its heroic Lebanese winemaker who stood by his wines in the Beka’a Valley through the 15 years of civil war (1975–1990) dodging shells and road-blocks to get his precious grapes to safety, knew that his wines were among the brightest stars in the world wine firmament. Today we look at the uniquely complex (and often miraculous) wines he created and begin to understand how and why Serge worked in the way he did. Our new book celebrates Chateau Musar – its history, its terroir, the philosophy of its winemaker, and the legacy of natural winemaking that the Hochar family continues today, alongside its remarkable catalogue of vintages and stunning new releases from the winery in 2020.Chateau Musar: The Story of a Wine Icon is the fifth title from Steven Spurrier and the Académie du Vin Library team.

"Reading this book for the first time, I was struck by how much the wine world has changed over the past half century, as well as by how much Broadbent still influences the way we taste and appreciate wine. Washington Post An essential book for all budding wine students - Demystifies the subject while bringing it alive - A wine book classic Michael Broadbent, wine critic, writer, auctioneer and much-admired expert revolutionised the wine trade with his first edition of Wine Tasting in 1968 and has continued to capture the magic of wine for over 50 years, bringing it to the page and to the public in compeling detail, always tinged with his uniquely wry sense of humor. Michael's original text (from the 1975 edition) updated with the latest vintages and footnotes revealing Michael's reactions to the changing wine scene. Personal tributes to Michael from Hugh Johnson OBE, Jancis Robinson OBE MW, Steven Spurrier, the late Gerard Basset OBE MW MS, and international wine auctioneers Paul Bowker and Fritz Hatton.

Marchesi Antinori - an Italian wine dynasty Marchesi Antinori are a Florentine wine family and at the same time one of the most innovative and important wine dynasties of the world. Their wines fascinate enthusiasts and connoisseurs on all continents. Wine icons like Tignanello and Solaia have their origin in the singular way in which the house of Antinori sees its role in wine culture. This interpretation also manifests itself in their excellent everyday wines. This lavishly produced volume provides a meticulous account of the history of the Marchesi Antinori along the centuries. It describes in painstaking detail all their major wine estates in and outside Italy. A noteworthy feature is the tastings, which were exclusively arranged for this book: they represent an impressive documentation of the passion of the Antinori family for its wines. A most enthralling wine book, which on 240 entertaining and informative pages with many impressive illustrations acknowledges the endeavours, work and achievements of the Marchesi Antinori. Werfen Sie einen Blick in die deutsche Ausgabe!   

Riesling is the most exciting, most amply multi-faceted grape variety in the world. Its wines can be appreciated as anything, from dry to off-dry right up to noble sweet and can be enjoyed young as well as aged. This book covers the complex topic of Riesling through the fine example of the top German wine estate Robert Weil. For the last twenty years no other German wine estate so strongly rooted in tradition has established such a superb success story. Wilhelm Weil represents the fourth generation of the family running the estate; he has restored the winery to its rightful place among the international elite of wine producers. The book describes both the exciting history of the wine estate as part of the German and Rheingau wine tradition, as well as the extraordinary architecture of the ensemble: mansion, park and wine cellars. Detailed questions on topics such as terroir and ecosystem, ageing and fermentation and style are discussed in detail. The many different tasks of a wine estate through the course of a year – right from pruning to harvest – are illustrated in sumptuous photography. Werfen Sie einen Blick in das Buch!

Marchesi Antinori - una dinastia italiana del vino Dietro la Marchesi Antinori si cela una famiglia del vino di origine fiorentina e al tempo stesso una delle dinastie vinicole più importanti e all’avanguardia del mondo intero. Le sue etichette affascinano amanti ed esperti del vino di tutti i continenti. Vini icona quali il Tignanello e il Solaia affondano le loro radici nella straordinaria cultura vitivinicola di casa Antinori, che si esprime anche nei vini da tavola di grande qualità prodotti dall’azienda. Un elegante volume illustrato che racconta la storia secolare della Marchesi Antinori e descrive detta-gliatamente le sue tenute vitivinicole più importanti, sia in Italia che all’estero. Appositamente realizzate per quest’opera, le degustazioni descritte nel libro sono degne di particolare nota e documentano in modo straordinario la passione della Famiglia Antinori per i propri vini. Un libro eccezionale ed entusiasmante – 240 pagine ricche di im ma - gini che sanno rendere onore, in uno stile dilettevole e informativo, alle imprese, all’operato e ai successi della Marchesi Antinori. Werfen Sie einen Blick in die deutsche Ausgabe!