Review

Wine Report 2005, by Tom Stevenson. (Dorling Kindersley, 432 pages, 2004). $20.00.

This annual guide was one of my favourite finds last year. Its aim, as described by editor Tom Stevenson, is to “provide a one-stop update on what has happened in the world of wine over the previous 12 months.” In my review of last year’s guide, I likened it to “a compendium of the best magazine writing of the year on wine.” In this, its second year of publication, Stevenson has reassembled his gang of experts to send in their reports on all the world’s wine regions, along with their opinions on the local issues affecting the wine industry in each place. There have been a number of changes, the most significant being the addition of two more regional chapters, one for Luxembourg as well as one for Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Future editions will see additional chapters on Morocco and Algeria, and even unknown wine producing countries such as Zimbabwe, Malta and Ireland are promised, if and when Stevenson can find the experts.

Though this just arrived less than a week ago, I know I’ll be immersed in it for many months. This would be an ideal “stocking stuffer” for the not-quite-novice wine enthusiast who is curious about more than just what bottle to buy. At the end of each regional chapter, each expert lists the best wine producers in their region, as well as the up-and-comers, along with lists of “Best-Quality Wines,” “Best Bargains,” and most interestingly, “Most Exciting or Unusual Finds”. It’s refreshing to read an annual guide that’s not solely focussed on discussing specific wines. Instead, this dense little book is content to educate and let the reader explore the store shelves, restaurant wine list, or agent’s price list(!) on their own.