This book is pure, unadulterated fun!  MacLean is a new face on the scene of wine writing, particularly through her free web-site called Nat Decants at www.nataliemaclean.com.  This, her first book, has already received prestigious awards such as MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award.  What a romp MacLean takes us on through vineyards, wineries, wine shops and restaurants around the world.  When she isnt out in the vineyards with Aubert de Villaine at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti who wouldnt let her take a power-pruner to his priceless Pinot Noirs (and who would?), shes popping Champagne corks with cellar-masters at Veuve Cliquot and Roederer and liberally sprays one of them in the process.  Or, shes out in Sonoma Valley picking grapes from century old Zinfandel vines with Pete Seghesio. 

Then there are the episodes where she spends a day in a trendy wine shop, schmoozing with the customers; another stint as the sommelier in a upscale restaurant and many more “days in the life of Nat.”  Some of the events are laugh-out-loud funny.  You never have a dull moment when youre with MacLean.  But in the middle of each chapter she gets sneaky.  Just as youre having a good time on her rollicking adventures she slips in a serious, to the point, lesson on something like vine culture, barrel aging, import problems, screwcaps, weather and climate, glassware, and on and on.  She takes on the likes of other wine writers – the feud between Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson, and has a wine-filled lunch with Jay McInerney in Greenwich Village.  As her publisher claims, “After three years of sipping, spitting and slogging her way through bushy wine leaves and cellar cobwebs, Natalie has collected a host of captivating stories.”  Yes, indeed!

When it comes to reading wine books my wife will occasionally look at the covers, browse through to look at the pictures and skim sections featuring places we have visited in the past, but to sit down and actually read the book, rarely.  This one she read from cover to cover and proclaimed it the “best wine book Ive ever read.” That says a lot.  And, she added, “I really learned a lot, too.” So will you. Youll find some little bits of information you somehow missed along the way.  (Even an old wine book reader like myself picked up a few new facts and ideas.) 

   It is also refreshing to have a wine writer who, unabashedly, loves wine – not just a taste of wine, but lots of it.  Bravo, Natalie, you have brought a strong new voice to the field of wine writing and, along with your website stories and wine picks, we look for many more delightful adventures to come. 

The Great Wine Pyramid

Getting your daily servings while enjoying wine; John and Shari Rudy, with illustrations by Bob Johnson; Binghamton, NY: Brundage Publishing, 2006.

A very interesting concept -- taking the USDA Food Pyramid, you know, the diagram with Grains, Meats and Beans, Vegetables, Fruits and Milk, and organizing a cook book around these headings with every single recipe calling for wine in the ingredients.  By the title you might think that it is a book about wine and, although wine is a major part of the book, its really a cookbook with over 140 tempting recipes for the wine lover.

The sections on wine are short and basic.  Dont expect anything other than the most basic and simplistic but, for newcomers to tasting wine, pairing it with foods, and ordering wine in a restaurant, it suffices.  The real fun is in the little trivia boxes spread throughout the book, the wine quizzes, delightful wine cartoons, and famous quotations by notable persons.  But the meat of the book, if you will, is the recipes. Many of the recipes have been contributed by wineries throughout the country so you know their origin.

The Rudys have starred one recipe in each section as their favorite (although I found several others Id star as my favorites) and have designated each recipe in terms of difficulty by the number of wine glasses on a scale of one to five.  Among my favorites is the Basil-Lemon Farfalle and Shrimp (Grains); Spicy Zinfandel Stew (Vegetables); Port-Poached Pears with Blue Cheese (Fruits); Wine Country Cassoulet (Meats & Beans); and from the added section on Desserts, the Chocolate Raspberry Cabernet Cake.  Their recipe for my perennial favorite, Osso Buco alla Milanese, did not utilize anchovies in the germolata (the savory mixture added just before serving) which I think adds a certain zest to the mixture, but did include kalamata or black olives in the stew base which Ill certainly do the next time I make it.  I had never thought to add olives – a great idea!

If there is any quibble with the contents of the book (and it is certainly only a minor quibble) it would be that some of the recipes simply call for a white wine or a red wine without any further specification.  We all know there is a vast difference between a Niagara, Riesling, and Chardonnay even though they are all white wines.  Likewise, using a Concord grape wine instead of a Cabernet will really change the end result of the dish.  I appreciated most those recipes that specified Cabernet, Zinfandel, Riesling or Chenin Blanc or at least indicated that the wine should be dry or sweet.  With these you know what to serve with the course (you know the old rule – always cook with what you are going to serve!), or in this case serve what you cooked with.  Maybe in the next edition, John and Shari can be a bit more specific with wine choices.