If you've been waiting for a message in a bottle, we've probably found you the closest thing! Natalie Maclean's "Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey From Grape to Glass" is getting rave reviews and is a book you should definitely check out. Natalie Maclean is an award-winning wine writer and Ottawa resident, and she answers a couple questions about her book below.
Natalie has graciously donated a signed copy of her book as a Prize for an exclusive iYellow Wine Club contest. Please read the details of this fun, friendly contest at the end of this article.
iYWC: How is your book different from other wine books?
Natalie: A lot of wine books are either encyclopedias or how-to guides. Those are certainly helpful in their own right, but that's not what I wanted to do. I prefer to tell stories about wine—tales that I hope will both entertain my readers and also teach them a lot. My stories cover all the aspects from grape to glass: how wine is made, marketed, matched with food, consumed and cellared.
iYWC: Who will enjoy reading this book?
Natalie: I hope that the book will appeal to two groups. One is beginners who are just starting to learn about wine and who will pick up a lot of tips from this book but won’t find it intimidating. The other group includes those who are already knowledgeable about wine, but will enjoy reading all the inside stories about people in the international wine world. (And if you’re buying gifts for these people in your life, you can get a lot of your shopping done in one swoop.)
The book is also ideal for those who are part of a wine club, since it can give them new ideas for tasting themes and discussions. It’s also good for members of book clubs who would enjoy a good glass of wine as they discuss this book and their favorite wines or most memorable bottles. In fact, I’ve included tips on how to set up an informal wine tasting with friends at home.
My book will also be useful to those thinking of traveling to a wine region: they could either read it before going or while there. That’s especially true for anyone visiting one of the famed wine regions I describe, such as California, Burgundy or Champagne. Those who prefer to be armchair tourists, with a good glass in hand, can journey vicariously with me.
And finally, I think my book would make a great hostess gift for a dinner party or holiday gathering. Instead of agonizing over which bottle to bring when your host has probably already chosen the wines anyway, why not bring this book? It’s a great conversation piece that will make you look cultured but with a great sense of humor.
Hear Natalie read from her book. Listen to the "Introduction: The Making of a Wine Lover" online here
BOOK CONTEST: Finish this sentence (in the comments section below this posting) to be entered into a draw for a chance to win Natalie Maclean's award winning book "Red, White and Drunk All Over". Red, White and ____________________.
Please be creative, appropriate, respectful and have fun! Include your name as well please, or email us to confirm which sentence you wrote. We will announce the winner in our April Newsletter. Contest ends March 31st.
If you’re interested in reading more about wine, we encourage you to sign up for Natalie MacLean's newsletter. She was named the World’s Best Drink Writer for the articles and wine picks in her free wine newsletter available at Natalie Maclean.com
She sends one every two weeks via e-mail and it’s FREE. The newsletter will help you make choices from restaurant wine lists and liquor stores, match wine with food and chuckle over the lighter side of wine.
Natalie also offers a free wine-and-food matcher food matcher. It's one of the most comprehensive on the Internet, covering everyday meals as well as tough matches such as spicy dishes, vegetarian fare, egg-based sauces, dessert, and even potato chips (for those who like to layer their vices).
Cheers,
Angela & Paxton
